BY VICTOR REYES and ASHZEL HACHERO
ONE of suspects in the recent killing of a beauty pageant contestant and her Israeli boyfriend have confessed about his role in the crime, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said yesterday.
CIDG director Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said a suspect identified only as alias Jess, who led authorities to the grave site of the victims in Capas, Tarlac last Saturday, said he just acted as driver and was hired by two policemen.
This developed as the NBI said autopsy done on the bodies of Geneva Lopez, Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2024 contestant, and her boyfriend, Israeli Yitshak Cohen, showed they sustained two gunshot wounds each.
The victims were reported missing on June 21 when they went to Capas, Tarlac reportedly to check on a property they planned to buy.
Francisco said Jess, who is a driver, surrendered after his conscience kept bothering him.
The PNP applied for a search warrant based on the information of Jess. This led to recovery of the remains of the victims, who were buried at a quarry site in Barangay Sta Lucia in Capas, last Saturday morning.
Jess told authorities that he was hired by two former policemen, who are said to be the principal suspects, to drive a sports utility vehicle. He said he was surprised seeing two bodies at the back of the SUV. Fearing for his safety, Jess said he just followed the orders given by the two policemen.
Jess, the two policemen, and two other persons of interest (POIs) are in police custody. Two other POIs are still subject of police operation.
Francisco said Jess is being considered as a state witness, adding his confession is a breakthrough in the investigation of the case. Nevertheless, he said, Jess is not yet off the hook.
“He is just one of those who provided us with information but we will look into his participation, thus we cannot yet say he is already off the hook or cleared. We are still digging into his participation,” he said.
Francisco said they are looking into three possible motives behind the killing of Lopez and Cohen but declined to discuss them, noting the continuing investigation.
AUTOPSY
Autopsy done on the bodies of Lopez and Cohen showed they sustained two gunshot wounds each.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the autopsy conducted by the agency’s forensic and medico-legal division showed 27-year-old Lopez had gunshot wounds at the back of her torso and her thigh, while Cohen had gunshots near the armpit and chest.
Santiago also said relatives of the victims were able to identify the two bodies recovered by the police and local authorities in a quarry site in Capas, Tarlac based on their clothes and physical features.
Santiago said the NBI is assisting the CIDG in the investigation of the case.
The Israeli Embassy in Manila said it mourns the “tragic” deaths and expressed confidence that Philippine authorities will find and arrest those responsible.
“The Embassy of Israel in Manila is deeply saddened by the tragic discovery of the cadavers of Israeli citizen Yitshak Cohen and his partner, Geneva Sarita Lopez, in Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac. Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families during this incredibly difficult time,” the embassy said in a statement Sunday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Yitshak Cohen and Geneva Sarita Lopez. May their memories be a blessing,” it added.
The embassy said they are in touch with the Cohen’s family back in Israeli for the repatriation of his remains.
At the same time, the embassy also expressed gratitude to the local police for their efforts in investigating and locating the couple after they went missing.
“We are confident that the authorities will thoroughly investigate this tragic incident and bring those responsible to justice,” the embassy added.
