WHAT happens to the charges against Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel if his missing wife Gisela is not found?
It will cast doubt on the criminal cases against Niño, lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna, Niño’s counsel, said yesterday.
“If (Bien Unido) Mayor Boniel will not surface, or her whereabouts will remain unknown, this will create doubt on whether or not the incident really transpired,” said dela Cerna during the 888 News Forum.
The mayor has to be found before the cases filed against the board member will proceed, said dela Cerna.
This, as Niño expressed his “frustration and distress” over the police’s decision to stop searching for his wife.
“For another, her being missing continues to be a Sword of Damocles in his search for justice not only for himself but more importantly for his wife,” said Niño in a statement read by dela Cerna.
Gerardo Carillo, the defense’s lead counsel, also stressed the need to recover Gisela’s body.
“This is a case of parricide so there has to be a proof that somebody died. The firearm was not recovered and Board Member Boniel tested negative in a paraffin test,” said Carillo.
But for the police’s lawyer, Ehden Ferrer, their evidence against Niño is strong whether or not Gisela’s body is recovered.
“We are ready for a full-blown trial. We are prepared for wherever this case will bring us,” he said.
Niño, in his counter-affidavit to the parricide charges lodged against him and four others, denied killing his wife. He said Gisela is not dead and might only be hiding.
“My wife, Gisela, has all the reasons to hide or even feign death because she is neck-deep buried in debts of several millions,” said Niño in his eight-page counter-affidavit.
Likewise, Niño Rey said that the supposed witnesses -- Riolito “Etad” Boniel and Randel Lupas -- were pressured by the police to come up with a “fabricated tale” to pin him down.
Also charged with the same offense were Lubo Boniel, Allan delos Reyes Jr., Wilson Hoylar and Brian Boniel Saycon.
Gisela was allegedly shot by her husband, Niño Rey, on June 7. Her body was allegedly thrown off Caubian Island in Lapu-Lapu City. Niño was charged with parricide, illegal detention and kidnapping.