Image: Facebook/Catherine Camilon
MANILA, Philippines — Two witnesses claiming that they saw three men allegedly transferring the body of missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon to another vehicle have come forward to help the authorities, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Citing a report from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – Calabarzon, PNP spokesperson and public information office chief Col. Jean Fajardo said the two unnamed witnesses surfaced after the police asked the public for help.
“Meron dalawang witness na nag-surface at nagbigay ng testimony sa CIDG Region 4, claiming na on the day na na-i-report na huling nakita buhay ang ating nawawalang biktima meron nga silang napansin sa Batangas na tatlong lalakeng may ibinababa na allegedly duguan na babae,” Fajardo said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
(Two witnesses appeared and gave their testimonies to the CIDG Region 4A, claiming that they saw the missing victim covered with blood while being transferred to another vehicle. Three men were allegedly unloading her body from the car.)
“Pero hindi po tayo sigurado kung yun nga po ay yung biktima,” she added.
(But we are not sure if that is really the victim.)
Fajardo said that the vehicle in the witnesses’ description matched the Nissan Juke Camilon was driving on the day she disappeared.
She added that witnesses were unable to come forward immediately out of fear.
“Tatlo po yung lalaking nakita nilang nagbubuhat na accordingly one of the suspects ay napansin itong mga witness at nilapitan at tinutukan ng baril which somehow created fear kaya hindi po muna sila nagsalita,”
(Three men were seen carrying the body, and one of them observed the witnesses and approached them. The suspect purportedly pointed a gun at them and threatened them, which created fear and prevented them from coming forward sooner.)
READ: PNP investigation into missing beauty queen showing significant progress
Earlier, police identified a police officer as a “person of interest” in Camilon’s disappearance. The unnamed officer was relieved from his post and transferred to the PNP Criminal Investigation Field Unit – Calabarzon Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit’s custody.
READ: Still no leads in search for missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon – police
In the search for Camilon, authorities offered a total of P250,000 for anyone who has credible information on her whereabouts.
Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste offered P100,000 to add to the bounty, while the business sector of the PNP Calabarzon offered another P100,000.
On the other hand, the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission also pledged P50,000 for critical information to solve the case.