Senate subpoenas suspects in missing beauty queen’s case
THE Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs issued a subpoena to the two suspects in the disappearance of Batangas beauty queen Catherine Camilon after they failed to appear before the panel looking into the case.
Camilon represented Tuy, Batangas, in the Miss Grand Philippines pageant in 2023.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who presided over the committee’s hearing to shed light on Camilon’s disappearance and the alleged abuses and lapses in judgment by some members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that as per motion by Sen. Rafael “Raffy” Tulfo, he had already ordered the issuance of a subpoena for Maj. Allan de Castro and his driverbodyguard, Jeffrey Magpantay.
Dela Rosa had warned the suspects that warrants for their arrest would be issued if they failed to show up before the Senate panel.
The former PNP chief told the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to help serve the subpoena for the suspects.
At the start of the hearing, the committee secretary informed the Senate panel that de Castro, through a letter, said he could not attend the investigation because his pregnant wife was in pain.
Dela Rosa considered this excuse “flimsy.”
On October 16 last year, Camilon’s sister Chin-chin took to social media to ask netizens for help locating her sister. Five days after her social media post, Camilon was declared a “missing person.”
Authorities said a close friend of Camilon reached out to ChinChin and told her of the alleged relationship between the beauty queen and de Castro.
De Castro was reportedly the person Camilon was supposed to meet on the day of her disappearance, which the policeman denied.
He also allegedly gave the vehicle on which the victim was last seen leaving her house.
Based on CCTV footage captured on October 12, Camilon’s car was seen passing some towns in Batangas. Police said she did not appear to be alone.
Later, witnesses came forward saying they saw Camilon bloodied while being transferred from her car to another vehicle on October 12. The witnesses also said they saw Magpantay in the area.
The hair and blood recovered from the vehicle, which was later located by the police, matched the DNA profile of Camilon’s parents.
During the hearing, dela Rosa’s panel discussed Senate Resolution 913 on the disappearance of Camilon and SR 767 on the alleged abuse, killings and human rights violation of the PNP filed by Senator Tulfo.
“We intend to look for accountability, but at the same time, we hope to find some silver lining in all of these sad and unfortunate incidents,” dela Rosa said.
“We might not be able to find some magic bullet or some divine formula to address all issues surrounding our police officers today. However, we hope that we will be effective in reminding our police that their lives are no longer wholly theirs. Under their sworn duty, they have also dedicated their lives to service, honor, and justice for the country,” he added.