Catherine Camilon (Photo from Facebook)
LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines — The Philippine National Police in the Calabarzon Region has activated the “Regional Committee on Missing Persons” on Friday in the intensified campaign to locate missing Miss Grand Philippines 2023 contestant Catherine Camilon.
In a statement, the Calabarzon Police Regional Office (PRO-4A) said the disappearance of Camilon has sparked widespread concern, which highlights the need for an organized effort to address cases of missing persons promptly and effectively.
The committee, headed by Police Col. Roel Rodolfo, PRO-4A deputy regional director for operations, will focus on centralized coordination with other police units for resources, information, and strategies in locating the whereabouts of Camilon.
Camilon went missing while driving a Nissan Juke car from Tuy town to Batangas City on Oct. 12.
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‘Priority missing person’
According to her family, Camilon has no known enemies or even a boyfriend or partner she can run away with.
The Tuy police are looking into the registered owner of the car as the vehicle is not registered under her name.
The police classified Camilon’s case as a “priority missing person.”
The PRO-4A explained that the activation of the said committee is under the revised PNP guidelines on the recording, monitoring, and investigation of missing and found persons.
“In our effort to uncover the facts behind the disappearance of Ms. Camilon, we will also engage our community to encourage public assistance and involvement in solving this case,” said Police Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, PRO-4A director.
Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste has offered a P100,000 cash reward to anyone who can help locate Camilon.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard has joined the search for Camilon.
Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, PCG Southern Tagalog district commander, said their personnel have been tasked to review the passenger manifests of all ships that left the port of Batangas since Oct. 12.
“They are also on the lookout for any sign that Camilon’s vehicle passed through the busy port,” he said in a statement.