Alleged cop is ‘person of interest’ in missing Miss Grand PH 2023 contestant

Image: Facebook/Catherine Camilon

LUCENA CITY – A “police officer” is the “person of interest” behind the mysterious disappearance of Miss Grand Philippines 2023 contestant Catherine Camilon, police said in a press statement Thursday night (October 26).

Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas, Police Regional Office – Calabarzon (PRO-Calabarzon) director, revealed in the statement that based on the significant development on the case “investigation leads to a person of interest which later identified as a police officer.”

The statement did not provide further information on the police officer except that he has been relieved of his current post pending a full and impartial investigation.

The unidentified police officer was immediately placed under the custody of the Philippine National Police – Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit pending approval of the Commission on Elections.

The investigators found out that a text message was sent, the date of which was not specified, to Camilon’s sister allegedly from a close friend of the latter.

“The text message contains information from the close friend about the romantic relationship of Catherine and the police officer, and that the police officer was the one who gave the vehicle Catherine used which was caught on the CCTV footage,” the statement said.

“On the text message, the friend also mentioned that Catherine and the police officer agreed to meet on the day of her disappearance,” the statement added.

While the specifics of the evidence have not been disclosed so as not to pre-empt the ongoing investigation, the information “has raised significant questions that necessitate a thorough investigation,” the statement said.

“We in PRO-Calabarzon and other supporting units of the PNP both remain committed to finding Miss Catherine Camilon and bringing her home safe,” Lucas said.

He urged the public to continue cooperating with the authorities by providing any information or tips that could assist in resolving the case.

“We understand the concern of the family of Miss Camilon during this challenging time. We request everyone to refrain from speculating or disseminating unverified information,” Lucas said.

He vowed that the police will keep the media and the public informed as the investigation unfolds.

“We will do everything in our power to find answers regarding this incident,” Lucas stressed.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 4A will take the lead on the investigation while the Regional Internal Affairs 4A will conduct its separate administrative investigation as recommended through a resolution by the Regional Committee on Missing and Found Person.

On Tuesday, October 24, Lucas revealed that the investigators had already identified a person of interest after the PRO-Calabarzon activated its “Regional Committee on Missing Persons.”

He did not reveal further information on the person but he said they already got the contact details, phone number and Facebook account, of the person of interest.

Camilon went missing while driving a Nissan Juke car from Tuy town to Batangas City on October 12.

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.”

READ: Still no leads in search for missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon – police

Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste and Calabarzon business sector offered P200,000 cash reward for anyone who has credible information on the whereabouts of Camilon.