MANILA — Authorities have recovered an abandoned sports utility vehicle believed to be connected to the disappearance of Miss Grand Philippines 2023 candidate Catherine Camilon, police said Friday.

The Calabarzon police said it received a phone call about an unattended red Honda CRV at a vacant lot in Sitio Ilaya in Barangay Dumuclay, Batangas City on Wednesday.

The vehicle had no plate number and no conduction sticker.

Two witnesses earlier said they saw a bloodied woman believed to be Camilon being carried by 3 male suspects to a Honda CRV from a Nissan Juke vehicle, according to the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

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Investigators are looking into the identification of the abandoned vehicle's owner.

But according to a source of ABS CBN News who refused to be identified, the engine and chassis number of the SUV was tampered.

Catherine Camilon was last seen by her family on October 12.

A police major who was allegedly involved romantically with Camilon and the last known owner of the Nissan Juke is said to be a person of interest in the case.

Camilon's family has since requested privacy.

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