Kin, friends implicate cop in missing beauty queen case

Miss Grand Philippines 2023 candidate Catherine Camilon (File Photo: Catherine Camilon)

MANILA – Police investigators have started questioning the family members and a friend of missing beauty pageant candidate Catherine Camilon to determine the possible motive behind her disappearance.

In a television interview on Tuesday, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Calabarzon chief Col. Jacinto Malinao said the testimonies of Camilon’s mother, her sister Chin-Chin, and her friend, a certain ‘Vanessa’, confirmed that the victim was supposed to meet with her boyfriend, Maj. Allan de Castro in Batangas City on the day of her disappearance on Oct. 12.

Malinao said they were able to obtain screenshots of the exchange of messages of de Castro and Camilon which will be part of the evidence against the suspect.

“Based on the exchange of messages with her friend, it seems that Catherine was hurt and it seems de Castro was enraged when Catherine told de Castro’s wife that he has another woman. When the suspect gets drunk, he also hurts Catherine and sometimes, she sustains bruises. This is the most visible motive that we see which prompted this incident,” he stressed.

During interrogation, Malinao said de Castro denied all allegations against him.

De Castro, who is assigned to the Police Regional Office- 4A is under restrictive custody at the PRO 4A headquarters.

On Monday, the CIDG Calabarzon filed a case of kidnapping against de Castro, Jeffrey Magpantay and two John Does before the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Fajardo said the prosecutors will have at least 10 days to evaluate whether the cases referred by the CIDG will reach preliminary investigation.

Camilon, a teacher and a native of Tuy town, was last seen alive at a mall in Lemery town. She also called up her family to say she was in Bauan and was going to a meeting in Batangas City.