Beauty queen spotted in a mall hours before she went missing

The missing Miss Grand Philippines 2023 candidate Catherine Camilon was seen at a shopping mall in Lemery, Batangas a few hours before she went missing.

According to Denice Abante’s report on GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog, the Tuy Police Station obtained a copy of the CCTV footage from the mall where the 26-year-old beauty queen and teacher can be seen walking alone.

The footage was taken on Thursday at 7 p.m.

According to the police, it was recorded before Catherine last sent a message to her mother, informing her that she was at a gasoline station in Bauan, Batangas.

"Paglabas 'yon from that mall, but the last text is sa Bauan siya nagpunta. Negative tayo sa mga CCTVs doon," said Batangas PPO PIO Chief Police Captain Pauline Fernando.

“Pati ‘yung sasakyan na ginagamit niya ay kinukuhanan natin ng info. Hindi kasi siya ang first-hand noong sasakyan. Kung kanino niya ito binili, hinahanap din ‘yun, kung saan. Kaso negative pa kasi lahat daw ng papeles ay na kay Catherine,” she added.

Earlier, Catherine’s mother said that she was supposed to meet someone in Batangas City, but she was not able to make it.

“Doon ho sa Balisong Channel, sabi parang matagal na daw ho silang walang contact. Hindi ko ho maalala kung ano yung pangalan niyang sinambit na iyon talaga. May tinuran ho siya sa aking pangalan, talaga hong ‘yung sinabi niyang pangalan. Hindi ko ho alam, malaman ho laang namin na maayos siya 'yon ho'y kasayahan na namin," her mother, Rosario, said.

Balisong Channel’s station manager Mary Rose Rivero clarified that Catherine did not go to their office on Thursday.

"Kasi every time naman na pupunta siya dito, kaming dalawa yung nagkaka-transaksyon. Wala siyang message, walang call, walang kahit na ano,” she said, adding that her last transaction with Catherine was in 2021.

The Batangas provincial police asked for the public's help in finding Catherine.

"Hanggang ngayon negative. Nag-a-appeal din kami sa taumbayan, if there is some information na pwedeng ibigay sa amin para mabilis ang pag-usad," Police Captain Fernando said.

On Friday, her sister, Chin-chin Camilon, took to social media to ask for help from netizens to locate her sister.

Five days after Chin-Chin’s social media post, Catherine was declared a "missing person."

Catherine represented Tuy, Batangas in the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 pageant. — Carby Basina/BAP, GMA Integrated News