PNP files murder raps vs Campbell slay suspect

The self-confessed killer of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell was charged on Sunday night with murder before the prosecutor's office, a police officer said. Senior Superintendent Pedro Ganir, Ifugao Police Director, said the charge against Juan Duntugan was filed before the Ifugao Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Lagawe town. "We filed murder because of the presence of the element of intent to kill," Ganir said in a phone interview. Before Duntugan's surrender last Friday, Ganir said police may charge the suspect with robbery with homicide. But when the 25-year-old wood carver admitted the crime after his surrender, he confessed that the killing stemmed from his suspicion that Campbell was his neighbor with whom he has a rift. Duntugan claimed that he was walking along the hilly side of Barangay Batad late afternoon of April 8 when a person bumped him from behind. He said he thought that person was his enemy so he pounced the person with stone in the head. It turned out that the victim was Campbell. Duntugan is expected to be presented later Monday before the media in Camp Crame. Ganir confirmed he already arrived in Manila on Monday morning, together with Duntugan, who will be presented to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Calderon. - GMANews.TV