Boniel's "cohorts" plead not guilty

CEBU, Philippines — Two of the alleged cohorts of Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel in the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of his wife and two others pleaded not guilty to the charge against them.

Randel Lupas and Riolito Boniel yesterday told Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan that they are not guilty of the criminal case filed against them.

Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel, together with her childhood friend Angela Leyson and Pete Leyson, were reportedly kidnapped and deprived of their liberty by the three accused last June 7, 2017.  Her husband reportedly killed her also.

The case was originally filed in Bohol, since the alleged incident occurred in the island.

However, through a letter-request of former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, the Supreme Court En Banc granted the request to consolidate the cases and transfer the venue of the trial of kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Boniel and his other co-accused from Regional Trial Court Branch 52 in Talibon, Bohol, to an RTC in Cebu City.

Aguirre, in his petition, alleged that there were reports of "continuing attempts to influence the local police and jail officials in order to give special treatment" to Niño Rey, who was detained at the Talibon District jail.

The SC granted the transfer of the venue of the trial but ordered a separate raffle of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

Aside from kidnapping and serious illegal detention, Niño Rey was also charged with parricide, while the other accused were charged with murder for allegedly helping with each other in killing Gisela.

The parricide and murder cases were filed before an RTC in Lapu-lapu City.

Gisela was allegedly shot in her head and her body was wrapped in a fish net embedded with rocks that served as sinker before she was  thrown into the seawaters between Caubian Island and Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City.

Meanwhile, the supposed pre-trial of the parricide case filed against Niño Rey yesterday was rescheduled to another date.

Niño Rey denied the accusations filed against him during his arraignment.

Lawyer Gerardo Carillo, legal counsel of Niño Rey, said Judge Himalaloan of Regional Trial Court Branch 7 will synchronize the pre-trial of all the accused. (FREEMAN)