The Philippine National Police (PNP) already has a person of interest in connection with the missing beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli national fiance, Yitchak Cohen.
In a press conference on Tuesday, July 2, PNP Spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said they formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to focus on the case.
The move resulted in the recovery of a white sports utility vehicle (SUV), which allegedly joined Lopez and Cohen in checking a property in Capas, Tarlac before they were reported missing.
Upon checking the vehicle's certificate of registration, the original owner said it was transferred to another person, which was not mentioned by the PNP.
"Kailangan natin gawin ito para ma-trace 'yung history nitong sasakyan na ito kung paano napunta dito sa mga pinaniniwalaan nating mga persons of interest,” said Fajardo.
Meanwhile, Fajardo said a former cop submitted an affidavit to authorities admitting he served as a middleman on the property Lopez and Cohen checked.
"Yung middleman na ito initially nagpunta sa station at in fact nag-execute narin siya ng affidavit at kini-claim niya na inaamin naman niya na nagkita sila nung mga nawawalang biktima at pinuntahan nga nila itong lupa na intersadong bilhin nitong magkasintahan at gagamitin natin itong impormasyon na ibinigay niya para makapagsagawa pa tayo ng mga investigation," said Fajardo.
Fajardo refused to provide additional details on how many persons of interest might be behind the lover's disappearance.
The Tarlac police also created a Committee on Missing Persons.
A P100,000 reward will also be given to anyone who can provide information on the whereabouts of beauty queen Geneva Lopez.
On June 21, 2024, the former Mutya ng Pilipinas 2024 candidate who represented Sto. Tomas, Pampanga, was reported missing.
Authorities earlier found a burned vehicle that Lopez and Cohen allegedly used at the time they disappeared, as documents of the beauty queen were discovered.
