Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.
#GMAIntegratedNews #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
#GMAIntegratedNews #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00For the additional details about the death of the pageant contestant Geneva Lopez and her boyfriend Yitschak Cohen, we will be joined this morning by PNP Spokesperson Col. Gene Pajaro.
00:10Col. Gene, good morning to you.
00:12Good morning sir. To all of your listeners and viewers, good morning.
00:18Ma'am, we will just clarify the timeline. On June 21, the couple last saw each other. On June 22, they saw their car on fire in Capa Starlak.
00:28So it's possible that they were killed in those two days?
00:33Based on the information that was given to us, they last saw each other alive on June 21. In fact, the family said that their last contact was on June 21.
00:46We saw that their car was on fire on the early morning of June 22. Based on the evidence that we collected, we believe that before their car was on fire, the victims were already killed.
00:59Okay. This murder, Col. Gene, was it premeditated? Was it planned? Was it a surprise and the suspects were forced to kill and hide the victims?
01:13There are indications sir Arbann that the killing of the victims was planned.
01:19Okay. The next question that our countrymen are asking, there are many people who are surprised and intrigued. What is the reason behind the murder of the couple?
01:33We have a theory, sir Arbann, but we cannot give it yet because your PNP and the family, and of course the NBI, will ask for help from their family, so we cannot give it yet.
01:50But what I can assure you sir Arbann, the investigation we are conducting is good. In fact, we are preparing some documents and other evidence
02:02so that we can file a case. We want to file a strong case so that we can have a complete theory on this case.
02:11We understand Col. Arbann, but I will pursue this point. The target here is Mr. Cohen or Ms. Geneva?
02:22Based on our extensive evidence and our investigation, they are two people who are expected to arrive that day.
02:33As I said, we obtained statements and evidence that indicate that the killing of the two victims was planned from the start.
02:43Okay. Lastly, there is a connection to the money. At the very least, can we say that there is a connection to the money?
02:50We cannot rule out the possibility that there is a connection to the money. Of course, there is a transaction on the land of the victims and the people they talked to before they were killed.
03:05Okay. This is the result of the autopsy ma'am. Is there any indication that you made the victims suffer before they were killed?
03:13We saw a copy of the autopsy report that was handed to us by the NBI and it was passed to the SITG.
03:22There are no findings on the injuries or wounds of the victims, except of course, on the gunshot wounds that resulted in their death.
03:36Colonel Gene, you are holding four persons of interest. What is their connection to each other and what was their participation in the crime?
03:45The one we arrested on July 6 is the middleman, real estate agent who was the last person we found of our victims before they were killed.
04:01One of them also had a big participation in the crime and the other one was also arrested. The three of us who were arrested have a big involvement in this case.
04:14Did they shoot themselves?
04:16We don't want to say the details right now sir Ivan. But what I can say right now sir Ivan, the three of us who were arrested have a big role in this case.
04:30In the raid that was carried out by the PNP on the former police and middleman in the sale of land, you obtained illegal weapons.
04:39Aside from that, what else did you see inside the house that can be connected to the case?
04:44The weapons and grenades that we obtained from him, we will submit it to the crime cross-matching and ballistics to determine if these weapons were used in any kind of crime.
05:02Okay. Colonel Gene, we will wait for other details of the PNP's investigation regarding this case. Thank you very much for your time.
05:10Thank you very much sir.
05:12We will now talk to PNP Spokesperson Colonel Gene Fajardo.