Authorities have filed a case against four persons, including an active cop, in connection with the disappearance of Miss Grand Philippines 2023 candidate Catherine Camilon in Batangas City, the Philippine National Police said on Monday.
In a press briefing held at Camp Crame, Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 4A (Calabarzon) said case violation of Article 267 of RPC (Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention) has been filed before the Office of the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor against Maj. Allan Avena De Castro, Jeffrey Ariola Magpantay and two John Does.
Fajardo said the prosecutor will have at least 10 days to evaluate whether these cases referred by the CIDG will reach the stage of preliminary investigation.
"Bakit kidnapping and serious illegal detention pa lang yung sinampa natin? Because the victim was reported missing from Oct. 12, until today wala pa tayong nakikita na corpus delicti to determine kung ito ba ay buhay pa o hindi. But kung saka-sakali in the coming days ay meron pa tayong additional ebidensya na makakalap relating to this case, then we are not precluded to file additional cases or at least i-upgrade yung kaso to another nature of offense depende doon sa ebidensyang makakalap natin (Why is it that we filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges? Because the victim was reported missing from October 12, and until today we have not seen anything, particularly the corpus delicti, to determine if she is still alive or not. But if in the coming days we get additional evidence relating to this case, then we are not precluded from filing additional cases or at least upgrade the case to another nature of offense, depending on the evidence we gather)," Fajardo explained.
De Castro is Camilon's alleged boyfriend, according to the beauty queen's friend who received the girl's last text before she disappeared on 12 October. De Castro is currently under restrictive custody in the PRO 4A camp, while Magpantay, was allegedly seen by witnesses moving a bloody woman from a Nissan Juke to a red Honda CRV.
Fajardo also said Forensic Group (PNP-FG) has found strands of hair, bloodstains and fingerprints found in the recovered abandoned red Honda CR-V at a vacant lot at the corner of Dumuclay Road and Star Tollway in Barangay Pallocan East
Fajardo said the CIDG 4A is now also contacting the family of the victim to obtain a DNA sample for comparison.
The police have also identified the registered owner of the Honda CRV found and went to the address. The police learned that the vehicle was not involved in any previous case and had not been flagged as a carnap vehicle, according to Fajardo.
Earlier, two witnesses who came forward to the CIDG – 4A said they saw the body of a woman covered in blood being transferred by three men from a Nissan Juke to a Honda CR-V on the evening of 12 October, hours before the 26-year-old Camilon was reported missing.
Camilon, of Tuy town, was last seen alive in 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.
On 27 October, the Police Regional Office – 4A identified a police officer as a "person of interest" in Camilon's disappearance.
The unnamed officer was relieved from his post and transferred to its Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit's custody.
A reward of P250,000 has been put up for anyone who has credible information on the whereabouts of the beauty pageant candidate who is also a teacher.