Prime suspect in Catherine Camilon's disappearance released from police custody

The cop who’s the prime suspect behind the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon is now out of police custody, the Philippine National Police said.

PNP Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr., in a press conference on Jan. 22, said Allan de Castro was released because he has already been fired.

"Since he was dismissed from the service, he is now released from our custody. Kumbaga, wala na siya.” Acorda said, adding that PNP will still pursue a criminal case against De Castro.

Acorda said they will continue to monitor De Castro and his whereabouts.

De Castro has been dismissed from service due to conduct unbecoming of a police officer, particularly his illicit relationship with Camilon since he has a wife and two kids. He, however, remained silent about her disappearance.

De Castro and three others, including his personal driver and bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay, and two John Does, were previously sued for kidnapping and illegal detention.

His alleged relationship with Camilon was reportedly an abusive one, as police discovered 17 strands of hair, blood samples, and screenshots of messages containing threats and other verbal abuses.

Camilon was last spotted in a shopping mall in Lemery hours before being reported missing on Oct. 12. She, however, last told her mother, Rosario, that she was at a gasoline station in Bauan.

The beauty queen said she’d go to Batangas City for a meeting with Balisong Channel, an online media company where she was a former talent. But Balisong Channel said she didn't visit its office and was last there on Dec. 13, 2021.

De Castro was reportedly the person Camilon would meet up with on the day of her disappearance.

Last Jan. 9, Magpantay surrendered to the police and voluntarily submitted himself to preventive custody.

Camilon, who's also a public school teacher in Tuy, joined Miss Grand Philippines last July, during which Nikki De Moura of Cagayan de Oro won the crown.