Calabarzon Police identifies person of interest in disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon

October 24, 2023 - 12:11 PM
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A photo of former Miss Grand Philippines candidate Catherine Camilon (catherine_camilon/Instagram)

Provincial cops have identified a person of interest related to the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon.

This development came more than a week after Catherine’s sister took to Facebook to ask the beauty queen’s colleagues and friends about her whereabouts.

Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas, regional director of the Philippine National Police-Calabarzon, gave an update about her case in an interview with DZBB Super Radyo on October 22.

“On-going pa ang imbestigasyon natin and it’s too early to tell kung ano ang nangyari kay Catherine pero mayroon na tayong sinusundan na person of interest,” the police said.

Lucas also said that given the sensitivity of the investigation, he could not reveal any further details about it.

“Hindi ko muna sasabihin kung saan at ano yung imbestigasyon na ginagawa namin, kung saan namin siya huling nakita, kung saan nating huling na-trace ang telepono niya,” he said.

In a separate interview with ABS-CBN on October 23, Lucas also said that a special committee in the PNP Region 4A was formed to locate Catherine.

He said that this committee is focused on a person of interest who might help them find her.

“Ito yung tinututukan nitong committee [in PNP Region 4A] and hopefully, sooner, ma-solve natin kung asan na ba itong si Miss Catherine,” Lucas said.

In the same report, P/Col. Rommel Estolano, regional chief of Highway Patrol Group 4A, shared that the person who bought the vehicle Catherine boarded before she disappeared is considered a person of interest.

“Nakita na rin natin na ipinasalo ito [the vehicle] sa isang tao, di ko lang i-divulge yung real identity niya, but sa ngayon siya ang kino-consider na person of interest,” Estolano said.

“Hopefully, marinig niya to ngayon, lumutang na siya at makipag-tulungan sa Highway Patrol Group,” he added.

Catherine’s sister and mother previously said that she was on board a Nissan Juke vehicle with the plate number NEI 2990 when she left their house on October 12.

Following this news, some Facebook users expressed hope for Catherine, who is also a high school teacher, to return to her family safe and sound.

“Sana po makauwi na si Catherine ng aalala na mga parents niya,” a Facebook user said.

Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste earlier offered P100,000 in reward to any person with information that could lead to finding Camilon.

The business sector of Calabarzon is also offering another P100,000 to help with the case.

Camilon’s sister reported her missing on October 13 after she lost contact with her since 8 p.m. the day before.

Her mother, meanwhile, said that the model still kept in touch with her at around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, October 10.

There have been no updates from her since then.

READ: Miss Grand Philippines’ bet Catherine Camilon declared missing: What we know so far |‘Nag-away?’: Sister of missing Miss Grand Philippines 2023 bet responds to speculations