Friday, April 20, 2007

Julia Campbell was "careless and irresponsible"

Sabi ni Arroyo Justice Secretary SiRaulO Gonzales, pretty much blaming the victim for her death:

The Philippines justice chief practically blamed U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell for her death as she described the volunteer's decision to on a lonesome hiking as "careless and irresponsible."

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales said Campbell may have tempted fate when she went hiking in the mountainous Ifugao provinces to see the famous rice terraces.

Gonzales said, "She was careless and irresponsible. She took a lonely walk by herself in [that] deserted area."

Campbell was last seen on Easter Sunday in Batad, Ifugao province after informing her friends she wants to take a hike in the area. She was declared missing by the U.S. embassy in Manila since last week.

MLQ3 has more on our godforsaken DOJ head.

Read this too from Arbet Bernardo.

Previous:

- Raul Gonzales greatest hits

6 comments:

mschumey07 said...

John,

Hope you post your Raul's greatest hits in Arbet's blog.

john marzan said...

dagdagan ko pa


“THEY should go back to the mountains because that is where they belong.”
, Sabi ni Raul sa Batasan 5.

"I hope she's not imagining again."
directed at Subic rape victim "Nicole."

"I almost exonerated them. But I didn't, if only to satisfy the mob."

john marzan said...

what makes raul raul.

Nancy Reyes said...

Well, I was up there a few weeks ago, and after seeing the trail, refused to hike it in my sandals. The soil is thin and I was afraid I'd fall...

I believe the remark was made before it was known she had been attacked, and they still thought she had fallen off a cliff. Most hikers know it's just not smart to hike alone for this reason. But of course I lived in rural Idaho and hiked all the time, and Ms. Campbell, bless her soul, was a city girl

john marzan said...

I believe the remark was made before it was known she had been attacked, and they still thought she had fallen off a cliff. Most hikers know it's just not smart to hike alone for this reason.

doesn't change the fact that sec. gonzalez practically blamed the victim.

You may defend Raul by saying that he was only "telling the truth" (based on limited and incomplete information at that time), but I wouldn't make such callous remarks. And I wouldn't make quick prejudgments about the case without getting all my facts straight.

With all the negative news the country's been getting lately, the last thing the admin needed is another high profile murder case involving an american peace corp volunteer. that's why the rush by the arroyo's people to spin this as a case of a "careless and irresponsible" american city girl who fell to her own death.

But of course I lived in rural Idaho and hiked all the time, and Ms. Campbell, bless her soul, was a city girl.

But she lived around that area for the last two years. she seems to be familiar with the place.

john marzan said...

and who can forget the muchacho comment. lol