Bohol exec Boniel pleads not guilty to kidnapping raps

Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel is escorted back to his detention cell in Cebu City hours before he is transferred to a jail facility in Bohol nearer his hometown in Bien Unido. FILE PHOTO / JUNJIE MENDOZA / CEBU DAILY NEWS

TALIBON, Bohol—Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel on Thursday pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and detaining the best friend of his wife on the night he allegedly took and killed Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel.

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The plea of not guilty was entered during the arraignment proceedings for the illegal detention and kidnapping charges filed against Niño before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) here on Thursday morning.

Niño, who was detained at Talibon district jail, arrived in this town at 8:50 a.m. for his arraignment.

The charges stemmed from the allegations of Angela Leyson, best friend of Gisela, that the board member detained her and her son when he took his wife from the resort to prevent them from reporting to the authorities.

Niño allegedly took Gisela, killed her and dumped her body in the waters between Cebu and Bohol. Her body has not been found.

The board member is facing a separate case of parricide in Cebu

Leyson was not present but was represented by her lawyer Lanilyn Pangilinan, who was confident that they had a strong case against the accused.

The first hearing date is set on July 19. JPV