Bohol mayor killed, thrown to sea; husband held

Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel with wife, Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel — CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CEBU CITY—Police on Thursday started scouring the waters off Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City to find the body of Mayor Gisela Boniel of Bien Unido town in Bohol province, who was shot dead by her captors on Wednesday night before she was thrown into the sea.

Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel, the mayor’s husband, his cousin Kevin, and Randel Lucas, a driver, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder.

Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, head of the Central Visayas police’s Regional Intelligence Division based in Cebu City, said the search started in Punta Engaño because the police received reports that Gisela’s body was dumped there.

Niño declined to issue any statement to reporters on Thursday, saying his lawyer would take care of the matter.

But Cabal said Niño told the police that it was his cousin, Kevin, who shot and killed Gisela.

Niño and his companions were detained at the Central Visayas police headquarters here after her friend, Angela Leyson, and Gisela’s relatives sought police help.

“I just want to get her body. I want that person (Niño) to rot in jail, including everybody [involved in this crime],” Leyson said.

Leyson said she, her 17-year-old son and Niño were invited by a certain Wilson to stay at a resort in Bien Unido on Tuesday. They were later joined by Gisela.

“We were asked to go there because there were documents that needed to be signed (by Gisela),” she said.

Leyson said Gisela, a commercial pilot, wanted her marriage to Niño annulled. She said Niño and Gisela had an earlier fight over financial matters.

“She (Gisela) really wanted to leave. She was a pilot. She had a career of her own. She was planning to resign (as mayor), although she wanted to resolve all issues first,” she said.

Gisela was elected mayor in May 2016, replacing Niño who won as board member in the second district of Bohol.

Leyson said she went to the resort with Wilson on Tuesday after the latter assured them that they would not be harmed.

“I told myself, ‘This is so fishy.’ I’m keen at sensing danger. But he (Wilson) told me that it was not what I felt,” she said.

Leyson said they arrived at the resort at 8 p.m. An hour later, Leyson, her son and Gisela had dinner before two women arrived and gave them a massage. Leyson said she fell asleep and woke up at 11 p.m.

“I said there was really something wrong,” she said.

Leyson and Gisela shared a room while Leyson’s son was in another room.

At 2 a.m. Wednesday, a group of at least six men barged into her and Gisela’s room.

One of them covered Leyson’s mouth with duct tape and tasered her in the neck, causing her to slowly lose consciousness.

As her vision was about to dim, she heard Gisela telling her husband: “In-in (Niño’s nickname) ayaw si Lalay (Angela) kay naa ang iyang anak sa pikas room (In-in, don’t include Lala because she is with her child).”

“I was half-awake but I could see them. I could see In-in punch (Gisela) in the stomach,” Leyson said. That was the last time Leyson saw Gisela.

Leyson said Niño told her not to report the matter to reporters or the police or else he would kill her.

One of the suspects told Leyson not to intervene because it was a couple’s fight.

“And I replied, kausapin niyo lang siya nang maayos (just talk to her properly),” she said.

Leyson said one of the perpetrators pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her if she would report the matter to the police.

Leyson said she and her son were taken to Tubigon town where they were released.