Cop in pageant candidate’s disappearance arrested

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — A dismissed police officer tagged in the disappearance of a pageant candidate has been arrested along with his driver in Balayan, Batangas.  Former police major Allan de Castro, 40, and Jeffrey Magpantay, 34, were collared in Barangay Caloocan on Sept. 14, according to Balayan police chief Lt. Col. Merlin Pineda.

De Castro and Magpantay were tagged as prime suspects in the disappearance of former beauty pageant candidate Catherine Camilon, who was last seen in Tuy town in October last year.

Camilon was allegedly De Castro’s girlfriend.

Earlier, De Castro, who is married, admitted to having an affair with Camilon, but denied involvement in her disappearance.

The arrest was made based on a warrant issued on Sept. 4 by Judge Jacqueline Palmes of the Batangas Regional Trial Court Branch 3.

No bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the suspects, who were on the most wanted list of the Calabarzon police.

De Castro and Magpantay, along with four other suspects, are facing charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention before the Batangas Prosecutor’s Office.

The charges were filed by the task group formed to investigate Camilon’s disappearance.

In January, De Castro was dismissed from the service due to his illicit affair with Camilon.

The prosecutor’s office reportedly junked the criminal complaints filed against the suspects.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Calabarzon police appealed the dismissal.