Five persons, including two former police officers, have been charged with murder before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the killing of a beauty queen and her boyfriend.
Two counts of murder were each filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) against the five implicated in the death of Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend, Yitzhak Cohen.
PNP-CIDG Legal Division chief Police Col. Thomas Valmonte said the motive of the killing involved a piece of real estate in Tarlac that was mortgaged to the victims.
“Based sa investigation, ang lupa sinangla ng respondents sa biktima. And parang gusto nilang bawiin ang lupa sa biktima yung mga papers. Yung mga biktima parang ayaw na nilang ibigay kasi syempre meron silang binigay na pera so dapat ibalik sa kanila yung pera (Based on the investigation, the land was pawned by the respondents to the victims. The respondents wanted to take back the land documents, but the victims refused because they wanted the money to be returned first,” he said in a media interview.
“Itong mga respondents may buyer sya. Kaya nga papunta itong biktima sa place kung saan sila nagkita at ginuide sila papunta dun sa place kung saan inexecute ang kanilang plano (The respondents have a buyer, and that's how they enticed the victims to meet with them, and later guide them to the place where the respondents carried out their plan to kill them).”
The sister of the victim, Joni Lopez welcomed the developments.
“Gusto namin managot ang lahat ng may sala. Gusto namin lahat sila, walang matitira, maparusahan lahat sila (We want all guilty to be punished),” she said.
The couple were first reported missing last June 22, before their remains were found on July 6 in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac. (PNA)
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