PNP: 4 'persons of interest' in Geneva Lopez, BF slay under police custody

Four "persons of interest" are now under police custody for their possible involvement in the killing of beauty pageant contestant Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

Interviewed on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said three of the arrested personalities had a significant "involvement" in what happened to the couple.

"'Yung isa po dito na naaresto natin noong July 6 ay ito po 'yung tumatayo na middleman na real estate agent na huling kinatagpo po ng ating mga biktima bago po sila naulat na nawala," she said when asked to confirm if four persons of interest are already in custody.

(The one that we arrested on July 6 is the middleman who is the real estate agent and the last person our victims met before they were reported missing.)

"At itong isa po ay may malaki ring partisipasyon dito sa nangyari sa mga biktima. Pati na rin po 'yung isang naaresto ay malaki po ang involvement dito sa kaso na ito. Yung tatlo po nating nearesto, malaki po ang involvement dito po sa kaso na po ito," she added.

(The other two persons of interest also had a significant participation in what happened to the victims. The three arrested persons had a big involvement in this case.)

Guns and grenades were seized during the raid on the house of the middleman, Fajardo said, adding these guns will undergo cross-matching and ballistic examination to determine if they were used in crimes.

According to Fajardo, the killing of Lopez and her boyfriend Yitshak Cohen, an Israeli, was planned.

Lopez and Cohen were last seen on June 21 when they drove to Capas, Tarlac to check on the property they were planning to purchase.

Authorities on Saturday found their bodies in a quarry site in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Capas.

Autopsy reports showed that the couple died of gunshot wounds. Lopez had gunshot wounds at the back of her torso and her thigh while Cohen had gunshot wounds on his chest and near the armpit.

According to Cohen's brother, Yaniv, Cohen went to Capas not to purchase land but to take possession of the land title as collateral for a debt owed him.

The remains of Lopez were cremated as her family held a wake at the Gate of Heaven Memorial Chapel in Minalin, Pampanga, while Cohen's body would be brought back to Israel where he will be buried according to his nation's traditions. —KBK, GMA Integrated News