(Photo courtesy of Balayan MPS)
MANILA – The dismissed police officer and his driver who were tagged as the primary suspects in the disappearance of beauty pageant candidate Catherine Camilon in October last year were arrested in Batangas province.
In a phone interview Thursday, Police Regional Office-4A (Calabarzon) spokesperson Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran confirmed that dismissed Police Maj. Allan de Castro and his driver-bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay were arrested in Barangay Caloocan in Balayan town at about 7:47 p.m. on Sept. 14.
De Castro and Magpantay were ordered arrested by the Batangas Regional Trial Court Branch 3 on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with no bail recommended.
The two suspects are detained at the custodial facility of Balayan Municipal Police Station.
Gaoiran said the suspects were previously released after the first case filed against them was dismissed by the Regional Prosecutor's Office due to insufficient evidence.
"We filed a motion for reconsideration and we tightened the case through more pieces of evidence It was approved by Hon. Dulce M Ricafort-Fuller, Deputy City Prosecutor, Office of the Regional Prosecutor IV, San Pablo, Laguna. They were issued a warrant of arrest," she said.
She said the police is still looking for Camilon.
In a separate interview, Rose Camilon, mother of the victim, welcomed the arrest of the suspects.
"What I only want is for them to tell the truth on the whereabouts of my daughter. What did they do to her? Where did they take her? These are the only things that I want to know," Rose said.
The police, however, are waiting for the court's order for the custody of De Castro and Magpantay.
Camilon, a teacher in Tuy town, was last seen alive in October last year at a mall in nearby Lemery.
She last made contact with her family when she called up to say she was in Bauan and was going to a meeting in Batangas City. (PNA)
