Secretary of slain Bohol mayor sought over ‘role’ in murder

Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel with wife, Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel (Contributed photo)

CEBU CITY — The police are looking for the secretary of Bien Unido, Bohol Mayor Gisela Boniel to ask her about the events leading to the kidnapping and murder of the local official.

Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, chief of Regional Intelligence Division in Central Visayas (RID-7), told the Cebu Daily News, the mayor’s secretary was the one who asked the victim to go to the diving resort in Bien Unido town in Bohol last Tuesday because she had some documents to sign.

It was at Bien Unido Double Barrier Reef Dive Camp where Gisela had an argument with her husband, Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel who later killed her, police said.

Cabal declined to identify the secretary except that her husband was Lobo Boniel, son of the owner of the pump boat that was allegedly used in transporting the body of Gisela to the waters between Cebu and Bohol where she was dumped. Lobo and Niño are distant relatives, according to the police.

“She (the secretary) is the wife of Lobo. The secretary may have knowledge on the conspiracy to kill the mayor,” Cabal said.

Both Lobo and his wife could not be located, said Cabal.

Angela Leyson, Gisela’s best friend, earlier told reporters that Wilson Hoylar invited her, her 17-year-old son and Gisela to stay in the resort.

But what convinced Gisela to go the resort was the call from “someone” who told her that she had some documents to sign there.

Niño arrived in the resort with several armed men, tied up Gisela and punched her.  Niño let go of Angela Leyson only on the appeal of Gisela who told him Leyson was at the resort with her 17-year-old son. One of Niño’s men pointed a gun at Leyson and told her not to tell the police about what she witnessed at the report or else they would kill her.  She and her son were then brought out of the resort and then made to board a boat to Cebu.  Upon reaching Cebu, Leyson immediately reported what she witnessed to the police.

In a news conference on Sunday, Niño’s cousin Riolito Boniel and his driver Randel Lupas publicly confessed that the board member masterminded the murder of his wife early June 7.

Riolito said the board member had his wife tied up and her mouth covered with a duct tape. She was then wrapped with a blanket.

Lupas said Niño ordered him and another man identified as Jay-r to load Gisela onto the pump boat.

Lupas said that when he carried Gisela, the mayor was struggling and trying to scream.

Riolito said Gisela was then wrapped in a fishnet with rocks that weighed about 30 kilos before she was shot.

Her body was then dumped in the waters between Cebu and Bohol.

Riolito said she knew that the couple had marital problems and had been fighting.

Niño, Riolito, Lupas and two others have been detained at the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) to face charges for the murder of Gisela.  SFM