Acorda: Probe on missing beauty queen yielding significant progress

The investigation into the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon in Lemery, Batangas has produced significant progress, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said on Monday.

With this development, Acorda also called on the perpetrators to surrender to authorities to mitigate their offense.

“What can I say, there is significant progress in the investigation. And that's why I am appealing now to those who are involved sana sumuko na (I hope they surrender),” Acorda said at a press conference.

But the PNP chief said he cannot divulge yet the developments on the case presented by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The reward for the information on the location of Camilon is currently P250,000, which came from Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste, a business sector in the region, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

The police earlier said that they are looking into two persons of interest in the case, including a cop and a former owner of Camilon’s vehicle.

According to the authorities, a close friend of Camilon reached out to her sister, Chin-chin, and told her of the alleged relationship between the missing beauty queen and the cop.

The police officer was reportedly the person Camilon was supposed to meet on the day of her disappearance. He also allegedly gave her the vehicle she was seen in as she left her house.

The PRO4A said the police officer in question has been temporarily relieved from his post pending results of the investigation. He was also placed under the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit while waiting for the approval of the Commission on Elections.

During the election period, Gaoiran said all movements in the police organization should be approved by the Comelec as stated in the poll body's resolution.

Carnapping, estafa raps

Meanwhile, the former owner of Camilon’s vehicle, who allegedly used a fake address on the deed of sale of the car, is facing carnapping and estafa complaints. According to the police, they are suspecting that the former owner is involved in a carnapping group.

On October 16, Camilon's sister, Chin-chin, took to social media to ask netizens for help in locating her sister. Five days after Chin-chin’s social media post, Catherine was declared a “missing person.”

Based on CCTV footage captured on October 12, Camilon’s vehicle was seen passing some towns in Batangas. Police said Camilon did not appear to be alone.

Catherine represented Tuy, Batangas in the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 pageant. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News