Vehicle linked to missing beauty pageant bet, Israeli bf found in Tarlac

An abandoned vehicle linked to the disappearance of a beauty pageant contestant and her Israeli boyfriend was found in Tarlac City, according to police on Monday.

“Sa ngayon, 'yung report, meron nang natagpuan ang ibang operatiba natin dito sa Province of Tarlac, diyan sa Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City,” Capas Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Librado Manarang told reporters in a phone interview.

(Right now, based on the report, operatives found a vehicle in Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City in the Province of Tarlac.)

“As of now, wala pa rin akong konkretong detalye regarding doon sa nakitang abandoned na sasakyan,” he added.

(As of now, I still don't have concrete details regarding the abandoned vehicle that was found.)

Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga bet Geneva Lopez, 26, and her boyfriend Yitshak Cohen, 37, were last seen June 21 when they left Angeles City, Pampanga and drove to Capas, Tarlac to look at a property they were planning to buy.

Their SUV was later seen burning along a road in Capas with no sign of its occupants.   

READ: TIMELINE: What is known so far about missing beauty pageant bet, boyfriend

Manarang said authorities were able to obtain testimony from the middleman who assisted the couple during their visit to the property. He said the police were able to speak with the middleman’s lawyer.

“Doon sa affidavit at testimony, na-interview natin si middleman. Noong June 21, mga 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ng hapon, na-meet niya yung magkasintahan. Pumunta sila sa Barangay Armenia, Tarlac City kung saan titignan nila yung lupa na bibilhin sana ng dalawa,” he said.

(In the affidavit and testimony, we interviewed the middleman. On June 21, around 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., the middleman met the couple and they went to Barangay Armenia, Tarlac City where they checked the property that the two are going to buy.)

“Yung middleman lang yung na-meet doon sa mismong area na bibilhin sana nilang lupa (The couple met only the middleman in the very area where they are supposed to buy land),” he added.

According to Manarang, the middleman is a former police officer who was assigned in Angeles City. He said they have no information yet why the middleman left the police service.

“Businessman din siya and nagiging ahente rin siya ng mga lupa-lupa. Yes, dati siyang pulis po. Before siya naalis sa serbisyo, na-assign po siya sa Angeles City,” he said.

(He is a businessman and a property agent. Yes, the middleman used to be a police officer. Before the middleman was removed from the service, he was assigned in Angeles City.)

Cohen’s family is offering a P250,000 reward to anyone who could provide information on the missing couple.

The Tarlac Police Provincial Office created a special committee on missing persons to hasten the investigation on the whereabouts of Lopez and Cohen. —KG/KBK, GMA Integrated News