TWO suspected cohorts of Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel appeared before the media on Monday, June 19, to deny allegations of involvement in the kidnapping and killing of Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel.
The cohorts were identified as Wilson Hoylar, the Human Resource manager of Bien Unido, and Brian Sayson, the personal assistant of Gisela.
According to Hoylar, they met Gisela when they went to file a cyber-libel case on the afternoon of June 6. Hoylar was invited to appear since he was one of the witnesses in the said case.
He also clarified that he did not initiate any calls or any contact with the mayor after filing the case since he went to the Civil Service Office around 3:50 p.m.
"Wala mi nagkuyog after ana. Didto sila sa (I was not with the mayor. They went to) COA (Commission of Audit) at that time," Hoylar said.
Hoylar said Niño Rey did not contact him on June 6.
He added that Angela Leyson, the mayor's friend and one of the witnesses, was just dragging their names into the crime.
"I think this will be our statement karon murag makaingon sad siguro ang public nga not all nga giingon ni Angela kay tinood (perhaps the public can say that not all the statements made by Angela are true). You can see in the evidences, nagkuyog ba mi, wala man (are we together at that time, no we're not)," Hoylar said.
Sayson also denied being involved in the incident, saying his name was only mentioned by Leyson because he was with them in the dive camp.
"Na-drag akong name ni Angela because kauban man ko nila. Siguro nagduda siya because that time naa sad ko sa hotel where mayor and Angela, together with her son with me in room five (My name was mentioned by Angela because I was with them at that time. Maybe she (Angela) was suspicious of me because that time, I was with them in the hotel where mayor (Gisela) and Angela were staying, together with her son who was staying with me in the same room)," Sayson said.
Sayson is the dive camp officer and the one managing the hotel.
"Kauban mi sa baby ni Agela. So, if ever kung naay nahitabo nga suwangi or harassment, siguro makadungog pud ang bata. Kung i-ask pud nimo ang bata, wa pud siya kahibalo. Ni ba-bye pa ang baby because nilakaw na sila (I was with Angela's baby. So, if ever there was a fight or a harassment going on at that time, perhaps the baby could've heard it. And if you ask the child, he didn't know. He also said goodbye to me because they're going out)," Sayson said.
Sayson added that he did not know what happened and he went to work the day after the incident.
Hoylar clarified that he did not invite the mayor to the dive camp because Gisela often sleeps at the camp every time she's in Bien Unido.
Inocencio dela Cerna, the lawyer of Sayson and Hoylar, said aside from the two suspected cohorts, Lubo Boniel, a suspected relative of Niño Rey, was the first to appear last week.
Niño Rey was arrested on June 8 for allegedly kidnapping and killing his wife, Gisela.
He allegedly shot his wife while aboard a pump boat and threw her body off Caubian Island, Lapu-Lapu City. (Johanna O. Bajenting/With Jo Ann Sablad/SunStar Philippines)