Pampanga awards P1.15 million to murder informant

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — An informant who provided information on the slaying of Kapampangan beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen was given P1.15 million for the help he gave in solving the high-profile murder case.

Gov. Dennis Pineda on Friday handed over to the informant, known only as Junjun, P1 million from the provincial government and the P150,000 additional reward money given by Sto. Tomas Mayor John Sambo.

In July, the provincial government announced a reward to anyone who could offer information leading to the whereabouts of Lopez and Cohen, who were declared missing on June 21. The couple was last seen driving to Capas town in Tarlac to inspect a property.

Junjun’s information led to the arrest of former policeman Michael Guiang, primary suspect in the double murder, and the discovery of the couple’s decomposing bodies in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Capas.

Investigators found that Guiang mortgaged a property to Lopez but reneged on their agreement, prompting Lopez to claim the land.

The awarding was given at the Kingsborough International Convention Center during the 3rd joint quarterly meeting of the Pampanga Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council.