MANILA — The Batangas Provincial Prosecutor Office has proposed relocating the preliminary investigation regarding the disappearance of beauty pageant contestant Catherine Camilon to the Regional State Prosecutor in Calabarzon, as announced by the police on Friday (02 Feb 2024).

According to Police Colonel Jacinto Malinao Jr., head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for Calabarzon, the Batangas prosecutor has advocated for the approval of the motion to inhibit filed by his unit and Camilon’s camp. In a text message, Malinao conveyed, “The preliminary investigation was transferred to the Department of Justice Regional State Prosecutor 4A.”

In January, both the police and Camilon’s camp filed a motion to inhibit, citing concerns about the potential influence of Jeff Magpantay’s legal counsel. Magpantay is one of the suspects implicated in the kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints. It was noted that Magpantay’s counsel had previously served as an assistant provincial prosecutor in Batangas and presided over Regional Trial Court-Branch 86 in Taal town.

The complaints, lodged against now-dismissed cop Allan de Castro, his driver-bodyguard Magpantay, and two John Does, pertain to Camilon’s disappearance. The Philippine National Police (PNP) recently announced De Castro’s release from police custody after his dismissal from service.

On October 16, Camilon’s sister Chin-chin sought assistance on social media to locate her missing sister, who was officially declared missing five days later. Allegations of a relationship between the beauty pageant contestant and De Castro surfaced when a close friend of Camilon informed her sister of the connection.

Despite De Castro’s denial, reports suggest that he was the person Camilon was supposed to meet on the day she disappeared, and he allegedly provided her with the vehicle seen in CCTV footage passing through various towns in Batangas on October 12, 2023. Witnesses claimed to have seen Camilon, appearing injured, being transferred from her car to another vehicle on that day, with Magpantay present in the vicinity.

Subsequent police investigation located the vehicle, and analysis of hair and blood samples recovered from it matched the DNA profile of Camilon’s parents. The reward for information on Camilon’s whereabouts currently stands at P250,000, contributed by Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, and the business sector.

(By el Amigo/MNM)