CIDG: Middleman, 6 others are under probe for pageant bet’s disappearance

HAVE YOU SEEN THEM? Relatives of Geneva Lopez, a Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2024 candidate, and her boyfriend, Yitchak Cohen, have continued to appeal for public help in finding them. They were last seen in Tarlac province on Friday after inspecting an agricultural land that they were intending to buy. — PHOTO FROM PRESY CARREON LOPEZ / FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines — The middleman who met with Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2024 candidate Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend, Yitchak Cohen, before they allegedly disappeared last June 21, is one of the persons of interest (POIs) in the case.

This information comes from the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG).

CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco is looking into seven POIs, including the middleman who was later discovered as a former police officer and who previously served at the Angeles City Police Station.

READ: PNP: Persons of interest eyed in beauty pageant bet’s disappearance

“Nung nag-usap kami ng pinuno ng CIDG sa Tarlac, pito ang POIs natin, kasama yung dating pulis na nakausap nitong magkasintahang nawala,” Francisco said in an interview over DZBB.

(When we spoke with the CIDG Tarlac head, he said we have seven POIs, including the ex-policeman who talked with the missing couple.)

“Yung kanilang ka-transaction naman na yon (middleman) ay willing magsalita at nagsasalita. Ang kanyang inilahad sa imbestigasyon ay siya ay nakipag-usap sa magkasintahan na ito at naghiwalay sila matapos ang site visit,” he noted.

(The one they had a transaction with – the middleman – is willing to speak and he has already given his statement. He narrated in the investigation that he talked with this couple, and then, he and the couple went on separate ways after the site visit.)

‘Just a person involved’

But Tarlac Police Provincial Office Public Information Office chief Captain Erica Evangelista said they are not yet considering the middleman as among the POIs.

Evangelista is part of the special investigation task group (SITG) formed to solve the case.

“Hindi namin sya kino-consider na kasama sa persons of interest. So, possibly involved, kasi he came to Capas City Police Station. Nagbigay siya ng statement together with his counsel,” Evangelista told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

(We do not consider him among the persons of interest. So, he is possibly involved because he came to Capas City Police Station. He gave a statement, together with his counsel.)

“Pag ganun, possible involved lang po siya. Pero POI, hindi pa po humantong sa ganun,” she noted.

(If it’s like that, he is only possibly involved. But as a POI, it has not reached that point.)

“At wala pa pong exact number kung ilan [ang POIs]. Kahapon lang ni-launch yung SITG Genesaac. Masyado pang maaga,” she added.

(And there is exact number yet [on the POIs]. The SITG Genesaac was launched just yesterday. It is still too early.)

Based on police reports, Lopez and Cohen met the middleman in Tarlac to check a 20.5-hectare agricultural land they intended to buy.

They were last seen around 2 p.m. on June 21.

Their gray Nissan Terra sports utility vehicle (SUV) was found burning along the Capas-San Jose Road in Cristo Rey village at 2:36 a.m. on June 22.

Capas police chief Lt. Col. Librado Maranang Jr. revealed that police had examined what seemed like a burned “cellphone or tablet” found inside the SUV.

He, however, said: “The mobile gadget, a cell phone, was brought to the regional anti-cybercrime office in Camp Olivas (in San Fernando, Pampanga) for forensic investigation. But data could no longer be retrieved from the gadget because it was completely burned.”

Aside from this, the Capas police chief said the CIDG operatives found an abandoned car along Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City, on Sunday night (June 30).