Ex-cop nabbed for slay of pageant bet, Israeli

MANILA, Philippines — Four suspects, including the alleged mastermind in the murder of beauty pageant candidate Geneva Lopez and and her Israeli partner Yitshak Cohen  in Tarlac last year have been arrested.

Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, Central Luzon police director, said the alleged mastermind, Michael Angelo Guiang, was arrested in Barangay San Francisco in Santa Ignacia town at past 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Fajardo, who is also spokesperon for the Philippine National Police, said the arrest was based on a warrant for murder issued by the Capas Regional Trial Court Branch 109.

No bail was granted for Guiang’s temporary liberty, she said.

Guiang, who is a former police officer, reportedly acted as agent in a transaction involving the property of the victims.

Lopez and Cohen, who were from Pampanga, were last seen traveling to Capas in a sport utility vehicle before they were reported missing in June 2024.

Their remains were found buried at a quarry site in Capas in July.

Fajardo said that on Tuesday and Wednesday, similar warrants were served on three other suspects, identified as Rommel Abuso and Jeffrey Santos, who are detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Tarlac City for a separate offense, and Jay Tacubanza in Barangay Care.

Fajardo said another suspect is being hunted down.

On Aug. 15, 2024, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Tarlac filed murder charges against five suspects before the Department of Justice in Manila.