Court denies Boniel's bail

CEBU, Philippines — The Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cebu City has denied the plea of Bohol Provincial Board member Niño Rey Boniel, who is accused of killing his wife, Bien Unido, Bohol Mayor Gisela Boniel, on June 7, 2017, to post bail.

Niño Rey filed a motion for bail on kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases filed against him.

Niño Rey, in his petition for bail dated June 7, 2019, moved for his release on bail, claiming the pieces of evidence against him are “weak.”

But RTC Judge Jose Nathaniel Andal of Branch 22 ruled that the court is “not persuaded” by Niño Rey’s argument.

Lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan of the prosecution said Niño Rey will remain in jail.

Angela Leyson, Gisela’s best friend, and her minor son filed the said cases against Niño Rey for allegedly holding them captive inside the Bien Unido Double Barrier Reef Dive Camp last June 7.

Leyson said one of Niño Rey’s men pointed a gun at her, wrapped her face with duct tape, tasered her neck, and stomped onto her until she kneeled.

As she was led out of the room, she said she saw Niño Rey punch Gisela on the stomach.

The board member later released her and her son after they were warned not to tell the police about what happened.

Niño Rey allegedly shot Gisela dead and her body wrapped in a fish net embedded with rocks, which served as sinker, was dumped into the sea off Caubian Island in Lapu-Lapu City.

The body has not yet been found.

Andal said it would appear that Leyson and her son were forced to board the Innova vehicle and brought to the port of Tubigon upon the alleged instruction of Niño Rey based on the testimony of Randel Lupas, the first witness of the prosecution for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against Niño Rey.

"The claim of the prosecution that the victims were deprived of their liberty seems to find affirmation from the testimony of Lupas, although the quantum of proof to establish the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt is yet to be ascertained by the court from the totality of prosecution's evidence and the controverting evidence from the defense," read the omnibus order dated June 11.

Lupas, who testified and appeared before the sala of Andal on March 5, said it was around 1 a.m. inside a dive camp resort in Bien Unido when Wilson Hoylar, one of the accused, woke him up and was asked to help carry something wrapped in white blanket.

After it, Lupas said they went in front of the window of Room 10 of the dive camp resort where he saw something wrapped in white blanket.

Lupas said he also saw Niño Rey and another person, whom he identified as Allan delos Reyes, beside the window of Room 10.

When asked what was inside the blanket, Lupas said it was a body of a person.

They carried the body wrapped in a blanket towards the wharf of the dive camp resort, which Lupas estimated to be located 20 to 30 meters away from Room 10, where a motor banca is waiting.

Lupas identified the person wrapped in the blanket as Gisela.

Lupas said he was able to identify the person after the portion of the blanket opened when they put it on the ground.

After carrying the body of Gisela to the motor banca, Lupas, in his further testimony, said he also saw Leyson who was handcuffed with duct tape on her mouth.

Lupas said he was then asked to purchase three boat tickets for Cebu for Leyson, her son and Gisela.

Lupas said he was asked to include Gisela in the boat manifesto, to make it appear that the mayor also boarded the fast craft to Cebu.

Lupas was one of the suspects in the case.

However, the prosecution asked the court to discharge Lupas as one of the accused to become a state witness under the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act.

Other suspects are Riolito Boniel, Allan delos Reyes, Lobo Boniel, Randel Lupas, and Restituto Magoncia, Jr. (FREEMAN)