Mother of Catherine Camilon Reacts to Arrest of Suspects in Daughter’s Disappearance
ROSE CAMILON – The mother of missing beauty pageant contestant Catherine Camilon, expressed renewed hope after the arrest of two suspects linked to her daughter’s disappearance in Batangas. Catherine has been missing for almost a year.
Authorities recently apprehended former police officer Allan de Castro and his bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay in separate operations in Barangay Caloocan, Balayan, Batangas. Both suspects face charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the Batangas City Regional Trial Court.
Rose Camilon thanked the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for their efforts. She noted that while the arrest of the suspects provided some hope, the emotional pain of not knowing her daughter’s fate remains profound. Rose urged the suspects to reveal the truth about Catherine’s whereabouts and to explain what they did and where they took her. “Sapul sa simula wala na ho ako hiniling na iba kungdi malaman kung nasaan ang aming anak,” Rose said.
De Castro was dismissed from the police force in January following reports of an affair with Camilon. He was temporarily detained in March but was released after an intervention from Senator Bato Dela Rosa before the Senate’s break. Initially, the kidnapping case against De Castro and Magpantay was dismissed in April. However, the Camilon family’s motion for reconsideration was granted in August, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant on September 4. The suspects are now detained at the Balayan Custodial Facility.
Despite the ongoing uncertainty, Rose remains hopeful that her daughter is still alive. She expressed, “Talagang ayaw ko ilagay sa loob ko na wala siya pero naasa ako. Kung ano man ang magiging kahihinatnan nandoon yung pag-asa na isang araw baka bumalik pa rin siya sa amin.”
Calabarzon police spokesperson, PLt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran, acknowledged that although the chances of locating Catherine diminish over time, authorities remain committed to finding her. Both Rose and law enforcement continue to hold out hope for a resolution.
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