Dismissed police officer Allan de Castro and his driver, Jeffrey Magpantay, the suspects in the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon, were reportedly arrested in Balayan, Batangas.
In a report by the Police Regional Office 4A, De Castro was taken into custody at 7:47 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, in Barangay Caloocan, while Magpantay was arrested an hour later during the same operation.
Both suspects are facing charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention related to Camilon’s disappearance in October 2023.
Although the charges were initially dismissed on May 15 due to insufficient evidence, the Batangas Regional Trial Court has since reinstated them without the possibility of bail.
De Castro is alleged to have been romantically involved with Camilon and was expected to meet her on the day she went missing, a claim he denies. CCTV footage from October 12, 2023, shows Camilon traveling through multiple towns in Batangas with a companion. Witnesses later reported seeing a wounded Camilon being moved into another vehicle, with Magpantay present in the vicinity.
Earlier this year, De Castro was cited for contempt during Senate hearings after being accused of giving false testimony. He was briefly held in Senate detention but was released after two days on humanitarian grounds by Senator Bato dela Rosa.
Further investigation revealed critical evidence. Hair and blood samples found in an abandoned vehicle in the area were confirmed to match the DNA of Camilon’s parents.
