Prime suspect in Catherine Camilon case skips Senate probe, cites pregnant wife

The policeman being tagged as the primary suspect in the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon skipped the Senate investigation into the case on Tuesday.

At the start of the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, the committee secretary informed Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, the panel's chairman, that Police Major Allan de Castro, through a letter, said he cannot attend the investigation because his pregnant wife was in pain.

De Castro said in his letter that his wife is eight months pregnant and is "currently having immense pains."

"I am personally attending to her and our incoming child as I am of the impression that there is a great risk on both my wife and my child who is still in her womb," De Castro's letter  read.

"I would like to personally apologize and hereby promise to attend to your joint hearing as soon as I can, after I have ensured that my family's health and well-being are safe from danger. I will be furnishing the Honorable Committees the necessary proofs of my wife's medical condition for your reference," he added.

But Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, considered this excuse as "flimsy alibi."

"Hindi naman siya nanganak, hindi naman siya manganak. Bakit hindi siya puwede pumunta? If you are listening right now, Major De Castro, alam ko nagmo-monitor ka, you should come here. Di 'yan rason na buntis ang asawa mo," Dela Rosa said.

"Ako noon, tatlo ang anak ko, pinanganak na wala ako sa [gilid] ng asawa ko. Nandoon ako sa bundok nag-ooperate laban sa NPA. Tatlong anak ko pinanganak na hindi ako talaga nakasama sa asawa ko sa pagpanganak. 'Yun pa buntis pa, hindi pa naman nanganak. Very flimsy alibi," he added.

(He is not the one who will give birth, so why can't he attend the hearing? If you are listening right now, Major De Castro, I know you are monitoring this, you should come here. Your pregnant wife is not an excuse. 

My wife gave birth to our three children without me by her side. I was in the mountains operating against the NPA. So how much more for someone who is still pregnant? That's a very flimsy alibi.)

De Castro's driver-bodyguard, Jeffrey Magpantay, was also a no-show at the Senate hearing. According to the committee secretary, Magpantay said he cannot find his vaccine card and his lawyer cannot accompany him to the hearing because he is not feeling well.

Magpantay indicated in his letter that he will attend the next hearing on Camilon's disappearance.  

Dela Rosa then warned the important resource persons who skipped the panel's probe that the Senate could issue a warrant of arrest against them.

"Whatever alibi... Hintayin nila 'yung subpoena and later pag isnabin pa rin nila ang subpoena, hintayin nila ang warrant of arrest. Magiging dalawa 'yung warrant nila, warrant nila doon sa krimen na ginawa nila, at warrant coming from Senado," Dela Rosa said.

(No alibi... They should wait for the subpoena and later, if they continue to snub us, they should wait for the warrant of arrest. They will have two warrants, one for the crime they and one from the Senate.)

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

Authorities said a close friend of Camilon reached out to Chin-Chin 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 has denied.

De Castro also allegedly gave her the vehicle she was seen in when she left 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.

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.

Kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints were filed against De Castro, his driver-bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay, and two John Does. —KBK, GMA Integrated News