Police exec: Catherine Camilon possibly dead, witnesses say

FILE PHOTO: A car similar to the description of the vehicle where beauty queen Catherine Camilon’s body was allegedly boarded was found on November 10, 2023, in Batangas City. (Photo from PNP Public Information Office)

MANILA, Philippines — Missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon may already be dead, based on the accounts of witnesses, a police official said Thursday.

Region 4-A’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) deputy Maj. Nilo Morallos said in a press conference: “We are hoping for the best, but we are expecting the worse. Hindi po namin masabi kung wala na po talaga, pero base po sa account ng witnesses namin it appears na ‘yun na nga po, na patay na po.”

(We are hoping for the best but expecting the worst. We can’t say if she’s really gone, but based on the accounts of our witnesses, it appears that she is, that she is dead.)

The CIDG is the primary investigation branch of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

On November 8, 2023, the PNP disclosed that two witnesses claimed they saw three men transferring the body of Camilon to another vehicle.

It also said that CIDG operatives recovered an abandoned car – similar to the witnesses’ description – from a vacant lot on the corner of Dumuclay Road and Star Tollway in Barangay Pallocan East on November 9.

The car with no license plate was taken to Camp General Miguel C. Malvar in Batangas City and underwent forensic examination. Based on the tests conducted by the police’s forensic group, the DNA of the hair strands recovered from the red Honda CRV matched with the DNA of Camilon’s parents.

Camilon was a contestant in the Miss Grand Philippines 2023. She was reported missing on October 12, 2023.

READ: ‘Worst’ feared as beauty queen remains missing

As a nationwide search for Camilon was launched, authorities offered a total of P250,000 for anyone who has credible information on her whereabouts.

Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste and the business sector of Calabarzon each offered a P100,000-reward while the the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission raised the remaining P50,000-bounty.

Also on Thursday, Police Regional Office 4A Director Brig Gen. Kenneth Lucas announced that the PNP has dismissed from service an officer linked to the disappearance of  Camilon.

READ: PNP fires cop linked to beauty queen’s disappearance

Lucas said the discharge of Major Allan De Castro from the police service took effect on January 16.

Authorities said de Castro is one of the suspects in the case of Camilon, who remains missing to this day.

“I would like to announce the dismissal of Police Major Allan Abeña De Castro effective January 16, 2024, signed by me, following an extensive investigation conducted by our Regional Internal Affairs Service 4A (RIAS4A),” Lucas said in a press conference.

READ: Suspect in disappearance of beauty queen surrenders

“The case against Police Major De Castro stemmed from allegations of conduct unbecoming of a police officer after a series of thorough investigation by the RIAS4A uncovering evidence of an illicit and extramarital affair between the respondent and the missing Catherine Camilon,” he likewise explained.

On November 15, 2023, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat disclosed that de Castro admitted to having a relationship with Camilon.

But despite the officer’s revelation, Caramat said de Castro remained silent when it came to matters related to the beauty queen’s disappearance.