Suspect in killing of US Peace Corps volunteer surrenders (Roundup)

Apr 27, 2007, 11:19 GMT

Manila - A suspect in the killing of a US Peace Corps volunteer in the northern Philippines surrendered to police Friday after confessing to the crime in a television interview.

Juan Duntugan, 25, a woodcarver, was accompanied by his mother when he turned himself over to the provincial police office in Lagawe town in Ifugao province, 290 kilometres north of Manila.

In an interview with ABS-CBN television before his surrender to authorities, Duntugan admitted killing US Peace Corp volunteer Julia Campbell, 40.

'I never planned to kill or hurt Ms. Campbell,' he said. 'But I admit, I killed her.'

Duntugan said he mistook Campbell for a neighbour whom he has a grudge against when she bumped into him on a trail to a village in Banaue town in Ifugao province.

'My mind went blank, I didn't know what or who it was, I just got a stone and hit her in the head,' he said. 'I didn't plan to kill a visitor.'

Superintendent Joseph Adnol, a regional police spokesman, said police were still building a case against Duntugan.

'We have no grounds to hold him because there is no arrest warrant yet,' he said. 'We will just interview him first. We hope he can contribute to shed light on what happened to the victim.'

The US embassy said it was pleased with Duntugan's surrender, but declined to comment further until the police completed the investigation.

Campbell went missing on April 8 while on a hike to the famed Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao. Her decomposing body was found buried in a shallow grave 10 days later.

An autopsy showed that she died from severe blows to the head.

Witnesses had told investigators that they saw Duntugan fleeing from the area where Campbell's body was found.

While police initially theorized that robbery was behind the killing, Duntugan denied taking any of Campbell's belongings.

He also expressed remorse for killing Campbell.

'If I could only bring her back to life, I would, but that's no longer possible,' he said. 'Whatever punishment will be given to me, I will accept it.'

On Thursday, Campbell's body was cremated in Manila. Her ashes were brought back to the US early Friday by a US Peace Corp officer in the Philippines.

Campbell was one of 137 Peace Corps volunteers in the Philippines. She arrived in March 2005 and taught at a college in the eastern city of Legazpi.

The US embassy said more than 8,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in the Philippines since 1961, making it the second-oldest Peace Corps programme in the world.