A police major tagged in the disappearance of a beauty contestant in Batangas was dismissed from the service based on the conduct of the investigation for administrative charges leveled against him.
Police Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, director of the Police Regional Office 4A, said the dismissal of Police Maj. Allan V. De Castro, became effective on Tuesday, Jan. 16, based on the recommendation of the Internal Affairs Service which the former approved.
De Castro was implicated in the disappearance of Catherine Camilon in Batangas City in October last year. She remains missing until now although the police are still optimistic that she is still alive despite the testimonies of some witnesses that state otherwise.
“The case against Police Major de Castro stemmed from allegations of conduct unbecoming of a police officer after a series of thorough investigation uncovering illicit and extramarital affair between the respondent and the missing Catherine Camilon,” said Lucas.
During the conduct of the probe, the close friends of Camilon told the police that she wanted to part ways with de Castro before she went missing, adding that the two were scheduled to meet in October.
Police also recovered a series of exchange of messages wherein Camilon told her friend that she was physically assaulted by De Castro and that she wanted to tell the cop’s wife of their affair.
At the course of the investigation, de Castro allegedly admitted that she had an affair with Camilon but chose to be silent when he was pressed if he knew something about the disappearance of Camilon.
Lucas explained that the dismissal of de Castro was in connection with his illicit affair with Camilon, and not on the ongoing investigation regarding her disappearance.
“As your Regional Director, I assure the public that the dismissal of Police Major Allan Avena De Castro is an independent administrative action and is separate from the ongoing criminal investigation related to the disappearance of Ms Catherine Camilon,” said Lucas.
De Castro, along with three others, were already charged with kidnapping in connection with Camilon’s disappearance.
His inclusion in the charge sheet was based on the testimonies of two witnesses who narrated to the police about three people unloading what appears to be a body of a person from a car into another vehicle, a red Honda CRV.
During the forensics investigation, the hair strands and the blood stains found inside the Honda CRV matched with the DNA of Camilon’s parents.
De Castro’s name surfaced after one of the three civilians charged was tagged as his personal driver.
“Police Major De Castro’s dismissal is a significant step in ensuring that individuals entrusted with the responsibilities of safeguarding our people are held accountable for their actions,” said Lucas.
“His dismissal from the service underscores the commitment of the command in maintaining the highest standards of conduct and integrity within our ranks. This reflects our dedication to transparency, accountability and upholding the principles of justice,” he added.