Ifugao still most peaceful among Cordillera provinces

LAGAWE, Ifugao – Despite the Julia Campbell murder haunting the province’s serenity, this central Cordillera province remains the most peaceful in the country’s mountain region.

Thus averred Gov. Teddy Baguilat yesterday as the one-year-old Julia Campbell trial would see its conclusion before the Banaue Regional Trial Court here tomorrow when the self-confessed killer, Juan Donald Duntugan, would be convicted either for murder or homicide.

The province, the governor said, has remained peaceful despite the occurrence of the murder last year, and that it has continued to be the most peaceful in the whole Cordillera where Mountain Province, Abra, Benguet, Kalinga and Apayao also belong.

“We continue to be secure with the fact that Ifugao is the most peaceful of all Cordillera provinces. But we have to anticipate that crimes in the unlikeliest places and done by the unlikeliest people can happen,” said Baguilat, also a former mediaman.

With the Campbell incident, Baguilat assured that his administration would further resort to “strengthening community-based security” in the province, especially in tourist destination areas to ensure that such crimes would be very unlikely to happen.

At first, Banaue’s tourism industry was affected by the incident with tourist arrivals which significantly declined. Also, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples even decried the alleged discrimination of the US Embassy in issuing visas to Cordillerans, especially from this province in the aftermath of the murder involving an American. But as months passed, the impact of the crime relatively waned as tourist slowly returned to the tourism-oriented town, which is actually known for its being relatively peaceful.

“People have come to realize that the incident does not depict the true picture of Ifugao, which is known for its tranquility and hospitality,” a local tourist said.

Verdict tomorrow

Tomorrow, RTC Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor is set to come out with her decision on the fate of 25-year-old Duntugan whether he would be convicted of murder as charged for which he will be meted a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, or homicide with a maximum penalty of 20 years.

“In any case, whatever the verdict, Duntugan will ultimately be sent to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City,” said Flor, who hails from neigboring Nueva Vizcaya.

The prosecution in the case expressed confidence that the suspect in the killing would be convicted of murder as the formal hearings of the case ended on April 10. Duntugan’s lawyers, on the other hand, hopes for a homicide conviction, arguing that the suspect did not intentionally kill the 40-year-old Campbell.

Last year, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said they are confident that justice will be served to Campbell and her family. Aside from Campbell’s family led by her mother, Linda, also expected to be at tomorrow’s promulgation to be held at the new RTC building in Banaue town here are representatives of the US Embassy and from the Peace Corps.

A native of Fairfax, Virginia, US, Campbell, arrived in Banaue, Ifugao on April 7, 2007, for a scheduled two-day sight-seeing there before returning to her native land following a five-year tour of duty as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Bicol region.

Campbell’s body, which was already in a state of decomposition, was discovered in a shallow ditch around 100 meters upstream from the house of Duntugan in Barangay Batad, Banaue on April 18 last year, or 10 days after her reported disappearance in the village.

A week later, Duntugan surrendered to authorities escorted by his wife and mother to police authorities.

Duntugan, a native of Benguet but now residing in Banaue where his wife hails from, admitted bludgeoning Campbell to death with a blunt object, thinking it was his neighbor with whom he had a grudge that he was hitting.