Allegedly due to pressure in Boniel case: Witness’ father dead

CEBU, Philippines - The father of Reolito Etad Boniel, one of the witnesses in the parricide case against his cousin, Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel, died yesterday, three days after suffering from a heart attack allegedly due to depression.

Police have also alleged that Niño Rey’s camp pressured the old man to convince Reolito to testify for Niño Rey instead.

“Pinapaimbestigahan pa namin pero, initially, ang sabi sa akin is pini-pressure ng kampo ni Boniel yung tatay. Na kumbinsihin iyung anak para mag-testify for, kasi against iyung testimony noong cousin,” said Police Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, chief of intelligence of the Police Regional Office (PRO) - 7.

Reolito said he maneuvered the boat that brought Niño Rey and his wife, Gisela, to sea off Mactan Island in Cebu where Niño Rey allegedly shot Gisela dead and dumped her body.

“I will try to investigate the nature of the death, the circumstances surrounding the death… if the father really had a heart attack dahil dun sa pressure na ginagawa, of course, we will hold them liable talaga kasi sobra-sobra na ang ginagawa ng kampo ni board member,” Cabal added.

Niño Rey’s legal counsel, Gerardo Carillo, denied the allegation.

He said the death of Reolito’s father, Remegio, was due to the sadness of being unable to talk to his son owing to police restriction.

“Naguol kay wala tagai og panahon ang amahan sa pakig-estorya ni Etad,” Carillo said.

Remegio, 67, died past 4 a.m. yesterday at the Don Emillio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Jubay, Bohol.

Reolito, for his part, said he learned of his father’s passing at past 5 a.m. from his brother.

“Naguol lage ko og dako sa nahitabo sa akong amahan, nga nahitabo tungod sa kaguol sa nahitabo kanako. Iya gyud gidibdib nga nain-ani ko ba,” he said in between tears.

He is not discounting the possibility that Niño Rey’s camp has pressured his father.

“Usa gyud na, kung wa ko giamong-among di mag-in-ana akong amahan,” he said.

Reolito said his father was allegedly mad at Niño Rey for putting his son in a difficult situation.

“Suko akong papa. Adtong nagkaestorya mi sa cellphone niana gane siya nga og naa pa sa iyang atubangan si board member iyang ilampos ang cellphobne niya. Giamong-among ta nga gamay pa atong mga bata. Wa sila maluoy nimo,” Reolito said.

Reolito has five children ages 17, 16, 14, 6, and 4.

He disclosed that before his father died, he told him during a quick conversation that Niño Rey would want to give him a lawyer.

“Tagaan daw ko’g abogado… naa naman ko’y abogado (referring to his lawyer provided by the PNP),” he said.

He said he will not retract his testimony against the board member.

“Dili ko mubakwi kay mao nay tinuod,” Reolito said.

He also denied the allegation of Niño Rey’s lawyer that the police coerced him and the other witnesses.

“Di na tinuod ilang estorya kabahin sa mga police. Kabubut-on na nako…. Okay kaayo. Ang ilang makaon, akong makaon,” he said about the police’s treatment of him.

Yesterday, he could not contain his joy upon seeing his wife, Jona, on the latter’s birthday.

Jona brought their two sons and two daughters to jail so they could share a meal with Reolito.

Strong still

Meanwhile, Cabal said the parricide case against Niño Rey is still strong despite the absence of Gisela’s body and Niño Rey testing negative of gun powder.

Regarding the allegation of Niño Rey’s lawyer that Gisela is alive and was seen in Dubai, Cabal said the same is but a defense tactic to weaken the credibility of the witnesses and the case.

Cabal said Reolito, Edgar Tapere, and Randil Lupas, the three witnesses in the parricide case against Niño Rey, are now under the witness protection program.

“I’ve talked to the witness protection director at qualified naman sila,” he said.

He said that the testimonies of the three witnesses are very relevant and substantial to the case.

“It really shows the timeline tsaka iyung katotohanan ng mga paratang natin kay board member,” Cabal said.

Transfer

Niño Rey is now detained at the Talibon District Jail in Talibon, Bohol.

He was moved there the other night from Cebu, as he is also facing kidnapping and illegal detention charges in Bohol.

Carillo said there is no special treatment for the board member at the jail. In fact, he shares a cell with 10 other inmates.

“Ang nakalahi lang kay naay double deck ngadto, makahigda sila og tarong,” Carillo said.

Final dive

Meanwhile, Police Chief Insp. Junnel Caadlawon, Deputy Commander of Task Force Boniel, said the search for Gisela’s body will resume on Tuesday.

 “It will be last and final dive nato,” he said in a text message sent to The FREEMAN. (FREEMAN)