Ex-Philippine Policemen Arrested for Killing Israeli Man and Girlfriend

Jerusalem, 10 July, 2024 (TPS) -- MANILA, July 8, 2024 (PNA) The Philippine National Police arrested two former police officers as the alleged masterminds in the killing of beauty pageant candidate Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitzhak Cohen.

Ranking police officials and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. presented suspects Michael Guiang and Rommel Abuzo during a media briefing.

Abuzo and Guiang were dismissed from the police service in 2019 and 2020, respectively, for being absent without official leave.

PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said a land dispute was the motive of the killing after Lopez attempted to take the parcel of land pawned to her by Guiang over his failure to pay back the money he owed the beauty queen.

Investigation showed Guiang convinced Lopez to meet a supposed buyer of the parcel of land in Capas, Tarlac on June 21.

The CIDG chief said unknown to Lopez, Guiang connived with Abuzo for him to pose as the buyer.

They met in Tarlac’s Armenia district, “and the two former police officers shot the couple,” Francisco said. “Guiang didn’t want to give to Geneva the land he pawned.”

The couple succumbed to gunshot wounds, based on the results of the autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Francisco said the surrender of another person of interest led to the identification of the suspects. The person of interest, who served as Guiang’s driver, revealed the location of the couple’s remains. These were later exhumed by authorities in Barangay San Vicente in Capas town on July 6.

Francisco added that a manhunt is continuing for two other persons who allegedly assisted in carrying out the couple’s murder.