Beauty contestant Geneva Lopez’s remains cremated

The remains of beauty contestant Geneva Lopez were cremated as her family holds a wake at the Gate of Heaven Memorial Chapel in Minalin, Pampanga.

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

On Saturday, authorities found their bodies in a quarry site in Barangay Sta. Lucia. The NBI confirmed the bodies were of Lopez and Cohen.

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

Lopez is a contestant of this year’s Mutya ng Pilipinas - Pampanga.

Meanwhile, Cohen's brother, Yaniv, said in a GMA Integrated News Bulletin that Yitshak's body would be brought back to Israel where he will be buried according to his nation's traditions.

Yaniv also said Cohen went to Capas not to purchase land but to take possession of the land title as collateral for a debt owed him.

The Embassy of Israel in Manila had expressed its condolences and hoped to find justice for the victims.

In Vonne Aquino’s 24 Oras Weekend report on Sunday, Yaniv said he believed that money was involved in the killings of as his brother was involved in loans and properties.

“We are very sad that we didn’t find our brother and his fiance alive. We, on the other hand, are very happy that we found them, and the development is now not a missing case as there’s a lot into it,” Yaniv said.

Cohen’s family members also visited the wake of Lopez.

At the memorial chapel, the urn containing Lopez' ashes was placed beside her engagement ring that her fiance gave her.

The beauty contestant’s crown, sash and pair of shoes were also on display as family and friends attended her wake, which will be held until Friday next week.

“Yung takot na naramdaman mo na napatay ka, sana ako na lang nakaramdam nun. Hindi na lang ikaw. Mahal na mahal ko yung kapatid ko. Kung kami, wag mo kaming isipin kasi kaya namin ito,” Lopez’s sister said.  

(I wish I was the one who experienced your fear when you were killed, not you. I love my sister so much. Don’t think about us because we can handle this.)

“Alam namin na may closure. Alam namin kung nasaan na sila. Kung sino gumawa and paano ginawa. Gusto ko lang naman itanong sa [pumatay] ano karapatan ninyo kunin buhay ng kapatid ko na wala namang ginagawang masama sa inyo. May na achieve ba kayo? Natahimik ba buhay niyo? Mananagot sila. Dapat lang sila mananagot,” she added.

(We have our closure since we already know where they are, who killed them, and how they did it. I just wanted to ask the (killers) what right do you have have to kill my sister who did not do anything wrong to you. Did you achieve anything? Did it give your lives peace? They will be held accountable. They should take responsibility.)

“I consider her more than a family. My love for is something that is not easy to describe as how you describe a friend. It’s more than that kaya masakit (that is why it is painful),” said Lian Dasco, Lopez’s best friend.— Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG/RF, GMA Integrated News