Two witnesses have surfaced saying they saw missing beauty queen Catherine Camilon bloodied while being transferred from her car to another vehicle.
The witnesses claimed they also saw on Oct. 12 one of the persons identified by the authorities as a “person of interest” who even pointed a gun at them.
“Umiihi du’n sa lugar, nakita n’ung suspect natin, lumapit sa kanila, at tinutukan sila ng baril (The suspect peed, approached them and pointed a gun at them),” Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. told GMA News.
Caramat quoted the witnesses as saying that before they saw the suspect, they saw the bloodied woman being transferred by three men from her car to another vehicle.
The gunman was said to be the personal driver of another person of interest.
“Through the rogue’s gallery of the CIDG, they positively identified and they were very certain about it,” Caramat said as regards the gunman, whom he said was tagged because of his tattoo and physical features.
The CIDG is now looking at a crime of passion as a possible motive for the crime.
Caramat said they are gathering more evidence to build a stronger case against the person of interest.
Police National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. earlier said their investigation into the disappearance of Camilon in Lemery, Batangas has produced significant progress. .
Acorda also called on the perpetrators to surrender to mitigate their offense.
“There is significant progress in the investigation.
And that’s why I am appealing now to those who are involved to give themselves up,”Acroda said in a press briefing.
Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leveste and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission have offered a P250,000 reward for information on Camilon’s whereabouts.
The police earlier said that they are looking into two suspects in the case, including a policeman and a former owner of Camilon’s vehicle.
According to the authorities, a close friend of Camilon reached out to her sister, Chin-chin, and told her of the alleged relationship between the missing beauty queen and the cop.
The police officer was reportedly the person Camilon was supposed to meet on the day of her disappearance. He also allegedly gave her the vehicle she was seen in as she left her house.
The Police Region 4A Office said the police officer in question has been temporarily relieved from his post pending results of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the former owner of Camilon’s vehicle, who allegedly used a fake address on the deed of sale of the car, is facing carnapping and estafa complaints.
Police surmised that the former owner was involved in a carnapping group.
On October 16, Camilon’s sister, Chin-chin, took to social media to ask netizens for help in locating her sister. Five days after Chin-chin’s social media post, Catherine was declared a “missing person.”
Based on CCTV footage captured on October 12, Camilon’s vehicle was seen passing some towns in Batangas. Police said Camilon did not appear to be alone.