2 cleared in death of mayor
The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office has dismissed charges against two of those who allegedly conspired to kill Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel almost three months ago.
Prosecutors found no probable cause to charge Brian Sayson and Wilson Hoylar in court as no evidence was presented to prove they were at the crime scene.
Gisela was allegedly killed on June 7, 2017. She was allegedly shot in the head and her body wrapped in fish net embedded with rocks before thrown into the seawaters between Caubian Island and Olango Island in LapuLapu City.
Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna said the dismissal of the complaint against Sayson and Hoylar is advantageous to the defense because it “shuts down” the prosecution's theory that the suspects conspired in killing Boniel.
“The dismissal is advantageous to the defense,” Dela Cerna said.
Prosecutors in Lapu-Lapu City have already charged in court Boniel's husband, Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel, Wilfredo Hoylar, Restituto Magoncia, Riolito ‘Etad' Boniel, and Randel Lupas.
Dela Cerna's two other clients, Lobo Boniel and Allan delos Reyes, Jr., were also charged in court.
Dela Cerna said they will file a motion for reconsideration to challenge the prosecutors' ruling.
“We will be filing a motion for reconsideration challenging the resolution,” he said.
Dela Cerna also said they will ask the court to hold in abeyance the issuance of arrest warrants against Lobo and Delos Reyes.
“Bisan wala pami confirmation nga na-file na ang information sa court, we will be filing motions para ma-block ang issuance sa warrant of arrest,” he said in a phone interview.
Earlier, the Tagbilaran City Prosecutor's Office dismissed the kidnapping and illegal detention complaints against Sayson and Hoylar.
The complaint was filed by the mayor's childhood friend Angela Leyson who was allegedly kidnapped with the mayor in Bohol.