A father-and-son team of Baguio lawyers will see to it that justice will be served in the brutal killing of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell last April in Banaue, Ifugao.
BY ACE ALEGRE
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 19, June 17-23, 2007
BAGUIO CITY (246 kms. North of Manila) – A father-and-son team of Baguio lawyers will see to it that justice will be served in the brutal killing of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell last April in Banaue, Ifugao.
The U.S. Peace Corps and the 40-year old Fairfax, Virginia native’s family hired the services of veteran criminal lawyer Reynaldo Agranzamendez (more popularly known in law circles here as Atty. A-Z), his lawyer-son Glenn, Miguel Liceralde Sr., Licerade’s son and namesake Miguel Jr. and Cres, another Liceralde son-lawyer as private prosecutors.
Even Atty. A-Z did not know why the U.S. Peace Corps wanted them as their lawyer. He said he got a call from the U.S. Peace Corps Office in Manila on May 31 asking him if he could represent the Campbell family against Juan Dontugan, who had admitted killing the American volunteer. He readily answered the person at other end of the line – “I am honored.”
“Later on June 6, I received another call this time from the Washington Office of the U.S. Peace Corps confirming our retainership in the Campbell case,” A-Z humbly added.
Actually, Atty. A-Z said this is not the first time he was called to represent a foreigner-victim in a sensational case. In the early 1990’s, a Briton was killed in Benguet and he was part of the prosecution team. “I was able to get a conviction for the killer,” he said with pride.
With the many prestigious law offices in the country, Agranzamendez could not still fathom why he and his law firm here was chosen by the U.S. Peace Corps.
Atty. A-Z, a litigant and a law professor for 32 years is now the dean of law of the “little known school outside Metro Manila” – the University of the Cordilleras (UC) – which had produced two bar topnotchers in an 8 year span: Jeanette Abuel in 1998 and Noel Malimban in 2006. Malimban’s extraordinary feat is attributed to his good study habits and UC’s crop of professors.
Justice for Campbell
Modesty aside, Agranzamendez said, their job is to bring justice to Campbell, her family and the U.S. Peace Corps. He refuses to further elaborate.
Dontugan, who had admitted killing Campbell after he surrendered to authorities 10 days after, will be arraigned on June 20 at the Regional Trial Court in Lagawe, Ifugao’s capital town.
Regarding the possibility of getting the murder case dismissed, Atty. A-Z firmly said, “It is far (from it). He (the suspect) admitted it,” the lawyer said without again offering further explanation.
Forensic experts had earlier found no definitive link to the suspect from the evidences gathered from where Campbell was found half-buried in Battad, Banaue. But Atty. A-Z is optimistic they will have Dontugan convicted. The suspect is represented by former Board Member Pablo Mayam-o.
He said they have been on the study table since they were engaged as lawyers for the Campbell family. “We are confident that when it goes to trial, we are ready.”
Glenn, his lawyer-son, and protégé, also humbly said, he will only be on the sidelines (his father being the lead counsel). He jokingly said, he will be the “lead”….. lead driver because Lagawe, Ifugao is a 5-hour drive away from Baguio.
Atty. A-Z reiterated with confidence “it is just a simple case of obtaining justice for the Campbell family.” Northern Dispatch / Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
