The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Tuesday, February 27, has ordered the release of a subpoena against the primary suspects in the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon.
Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate public order panel, approved this after Sen. Raffy Tulfo moved for the issuance of subpoena against Police Major Allan de Castro and his driver-bodyguard Jeffrey Magpantay.
“I rule the motion in favor of Sen. Tulfo that we have to issue a subpoena to subjects Police Major De Castro and Magpantay,” said Dela Rosa during the Senate hearing.
Both suspects were a no-show at the panel’s Tuesday probe. De Castro, through a letter sent to the panel, said that he cannot attend the probe due to his pregnant wife.
In his letter to the committee, de Castro claimed his wife, who is eight (8) months pregnant is “currently having immense pains” and cited great “health risks” to both his wife and child.
“I would like to personally apologize and hereby promise to attend to your joint hearing as soon as I can, after I have ensured that my family's health and well-being are safe from danger,” de Castro said in his letter to the panel.
“I will be furnishing the Honorable Committees the necessary proofs of my wife's medical condition for your reference,” he also stated in the letter.
But dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief dismissed his excuse as a “flimsy” alibi.
“Hindi naman siya ang manganak eh. Bakit siya hindi puwedeng pumunta (He’s not the one pregnant. Why won’t he come?” dela Rosa pointed out.
“Major Allan de Castro, if you are listening right now. I know nagmo-monitor ka (I know you are monitoring), you should come here,” he said.
“Hindi ‘yan rason na buntis yung asawa mo (having a pregnant wife is not an excuse),” the senator stressed.
Dela Rosa then recalled that he was not beside his own wife when she gave birth to their three children.
“Ako noon, tatlong anak ko pinanganak. Wala ako sa tabi ng asawa ko. Nandoon ako sa bundok nag operate laban sa mga NPA. Tatlo anak ko pinanganak na hindi ako talaga kasama ng asawa ko sa pagpanganak (I wasn’t beside my wife when she gave birth to our three children. I was there in the mountains operating against the New People’s Army. My three children were born but I wasn’t beside my wife when she gave birth),” the lawmaker said.
“Ngayon pa na buntis pa lang hindi pa nanganganak eh (How much more when she is still pregnant and has not yet given birth)? That’s a very flimsy alibi,” she said.
Meanwhile, Magpantay, told the committee he was not feeling well.
Dela Rosa warned resource persons who choose to snub the Senate’s investigation may be subpoenaed and may eventually face arrest.
“Hintayin nila yung subpoena letter; kapag isnabin pa nila yung subpoena, hintayin pa nila yung warrant of arrest (They should wait for the letter of subpoena; if they ignore the subpoena, they should wait for the warrant of arrest),” the senator said.
“Magiging dalawa yung warrant nila—warrant dun sa krimen na ginawa nila, and warrant dun sa coming from Senate (They will have two warrants—a warrant regarding the crime they committed and a warrant coming from the Senate),” dela Rosa said.
The PNP has declared Camilon a “missing person” after her family had difficult locating her in October of last year.
Authorities said that a close friend had divulged about an alleged relationship between De Castro and the beauty queen. According to police, the close friend reported that Camilon was supposed to meet De Castro on the day of her disappearance.
Kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints have been filed against De Castro, Magpantay and two other suspects.