A critical witness in the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon has withdrawn cooperation due to safety concerns, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Monday, raising new challenges in the ongoing investigation.
According to PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, the unnamed friend of Camilon—who was among the last people to speak to her—expressed fear for their safety. “We received information that the friend of the missing Ms. Camilon is a bit apprehensive and afraid for their security and safety,” Fajardo said in an ambush interview.
Despite the witness backing out, Fajardo reiterated the PNP’s commitment to ensuring the individual’s protection. “We hope the friend will now change their mind because we intend to bring justice to Camilon, and their participation in this case is critical,” she added.
The witness reportedly had key knowledge of Camilon’s alleged relationship with dismissed Police Major Allan de Castro, one of the main suspects in her disappearance. De Castro, along with his driver and bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay, is facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges related to the case.
Catherine Camilon, a former beauty queen, was reported missing on October 12, 2023. CCTV footage captured her vehicle passing through several towns in Batangas on the day of her disappearance. Witnesses later claimed they saw a bloodied woman, believed to be Camilon, being transferred to another vehicle in the presence of Magpantay.
Initially, charges against De Castro and Magpantay were dropped in May 2024 due to insufficient evidence. However, the Batangas Regional Trial Court has since refiled the charges, this time without the option for bail.
Further implicating the suspects, forensic tests on an abandoned vehicle recovered in the area revealed traces of blood and hair matching the DNA of Camilon’s parents, suggesting a strong link to her possible fate.
Fajardo emphasized the importance of witness cooperation moving forward and assured that any witness who steps forward would be granted security under the Witness Protection Program. Authorities continue to urge anyone with relevant information to aid in the case, which remains one of the most high-profile missing persons investigations in recent years.