Mayor still missing after 3 days of searching

Authorities have still not found the body of Bien Unido, Bohol Mayor Gisela Boniel in the waters around Caubian Island in Lapu-Lapu City after three days of looking.

Yesterday’s search was called off because of the strong current and the depth involved.

It will only resume once the divers are equipped to handle these conditions.

Lt. Mark Colina, commanding officer of the Naval Special Operations Group Unit 5, assessed the area where Gisela was allegedly dumped after she was allegedly shot by her husband, Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel at dawn last Wednesday.

“Any individual divers without equipment could not reach that depth. We could not reach that depth,” he said.

Colina said that the area they evaluated under the directions of Riolito Boniel, Niño’s cousin, is 219 meters deep.

“Other agencies will coordinate so that we can dispatch underwater robots, which can seek and capture images in that depth because we haven’t really found out yet where the mayor’s exact location is,” he said.

The robots, he said, will have to screen and search the seabed for any signs of the mayor before the police can plan a diving operation to haul her body from the water.

Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office director, said they will meet with Navy personnel and other government agencies concerned and volunteers to discuss their next move.

“As to whether Riolito was telling the truth or not, it will be up to the investigators. As far as we are concerned, we will continue the search operation,” he said in Cebuano.

Meanwhile, the counsel of Niño and Randel Lupas are seeking their release because the Police Regional Office 7 were late in filing the charges of kidnapping and serious physical injuries against the two. Atty. Handel Lagunay said the 36 hours of warrantless arrest lapsed when police still didn’t file the charges around 9 a.m. last June 9.

“They detained board member Boniel at 7 p.m. on June 7… although the police said that it was 10 p.m. So in the last 36 hours, they should have filed on June 9 at 7 a.m. or 9 a.m., but they filed at 5 p.m. in the Bohol Prosecutor’s Office, so lapas na kaayo sa (that was after the) 36 hours,” Lagunay said.

He said they hope Niño and Lupas will be released upon the order of Judge Marivic Trabajo-Daray.

Regional Intelligence Division Chief Jonathan Cabal, for his part, said Niño’s camp had signed a waiver to detain him for 10 days to let them prepare the documents for the hearing on June 23.

Last Friday morning, the motorized banca believed to have been used in the alleged killing of Gisela was found in Barangay Malingin, Bien Unido.

The banca was reportedly bloodied and had a foul smell, but authorities suspected that the owner wiped it clean before leaving on the shore.

Riolito, who admitted driving the banca during the alleged incident, may be turned into a state witness.

“I am willing to testify against Niño because I am not the one who killed the mayor. He did,” he said.

I am willing to testify against Niño because I am not the one who killed the mayor. He did. RIOLITO BONIEL Boatman/Cousin of accused