On June 7, 2017, Gisela Boniel, the then-Mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol was allegedly killed by her husband, former Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel. As of June 2017, she remains missing. Niño Rey Boniel was charged with, kidnapping, serious illegal detention and physical injuries over his alleged role in the killing of his wife, Gisela Boniel.
Background
Victim and suspect
Gisela Bendong was born on May 21, 1977 in Iligan City, Philippines to a family of pilots. Ever since she was young, she had a dream of becoming a pilot. During her pilot years in AirAsia, she was the first female pilot. Niño Rey Boniel was born on December 19, 1979 in Bien Unido, Bohol and is a son of former Bien Unido mayor Cosme Boniel, and Marina Boniel, a businesswoman. In 2007, at the age of 29, he was elected mayor in Bien Unido and was the second youngest executive. Niño Rey Boniel established a dive camp to attract tourists who wanted to experience the Bien Unido Double Barrier Reef. After finding out that there were illegal fishers in the municipality, he established the underwater grotto near the coral reef in the Double Barrier Reef, consisting of the 14-foot tall statues of the Virgin Mary and Santo Niño de Cebú. Niño met Gisela during a conference after she arrived in Tagbilaran and traveled to Bien Unido. In 2012, they married after Gisela found out that she was two months pregnant. They were married in civil rites. After their civil marriage, they were sent to Hawaii. On July 28, 2012, Gisela gave birth to a boy. In 2016, after his 3rd term as a mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol, Gisela ran for mayor. On May 9, 2016, She was elected mayor of Bien Unido. Gisela was attacked by her husband's political opponents and implicated in controversies involving her husband. Financial problems allegedly affected their marriage after Gisela bought a watch worth P2.5 million, which is said to have angered Niño.
Death of Gisela
On June 6, 2017, Captain-Mayor Gisela Zambrano Bendong-Boniel and her best friend, Angela Celeste Gamalinda-Leyson and Angela's 17-year-old son Pete Ynaque Gamalinda-Leyson were persuaded by the staff of the Captain-Mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol Wilson Hoylar, her admin staff and her Executive Secretary Brian Sayson to stay overnight at the resort of Bien Unido. They said the Mayor needed to sign some important documents which were not part of her itinerary. Angela was urged not to and reminded her of her 7:00 P.M. appointment in Cebu. Her plan was to comply with signing the required documents for her to file the annulment case, and at the same time to resign from her post as the Mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol. On June 7, 2017, at around 2:00AM, 6 to 8 men entered their room. The men duct taped Angela around her face and she was tasered on the lower portion of her ears. Angela overheard the Captain-Mayor talking to her husband, recognized by his nickname "In-In". She pleaded for him to spare her best friend and told him that Angela's son was in the other room while a gun was pointed to her forehead. According to the story, Angela passed out, not knowing that the Captain-Mayor was already taken out from the room. A few hours later two men woke Angela and asked her to stand up as she and her 17 year old son were taken to Tubigon, traveling via High-speed craft from Tubigon to Cebu. Meanwhile, Captain-Mayor Gisela's body was wrapped with a blanket and brought to a pump boat. At around 4:00 AM, Niño allegedly shot her, they put a fishnet around her body, tied a rock weighing 30 kilos to it and threw her body into the sea. During the interrogation, Niño Rey said it was his cousin, Riolito "Etad" Boniel who shot his wife, but Riolito and driver Randel Lupas alleged that it was Niño who shot his wife.
Retrieval of Boniel's body
Search and retrieval operations started on June 9. Divers scoured the Caubian at but they couldn't find Gisela's body. The deadline was intended to be 15 days. After days of searching, the retrieval operation ended but Gisela's family appealed to the authorities that they could resume. On July 15, 2017, the search and retrieval operation ended permanently as they could not find Gisela's body. On July 1, 2017, A woman's body was found in the waters of Tabuelan and was brought to Escalante, Negros Occidental. There was speculation that this could be Gisela's body. The body was later ruled out to be that of Boniel and was identified as the body of a 64 year old woman who is a resident from Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
Memorial
Although Gisela's body was not found, her family had a memorial on the sea on July 1, 2017 in Caubian Island. In November 2017, they had an All Souls Day on the sea.
Trial
Niño Rey pleaded not guilty for kidnapping, serious illegal detention and physical injuries. On January 11, 2018, Niño was brought to Cebu jail. Due to his poor health condition, he was treated in Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. On March 22, 2018, Justice SecretaryVitaliano Aguirre II reversed the order, but on March 28, due to backlash Aguirre revived the order. On May 28, Niño Rey's pre-trial for kidnapping and serious illegal detention was reset to September 5. On June 14, 2018, Niño Rey Boniel resigned as a Bohol Board Member, and his trial was set for September 7. On September 7, Niño Rey did not attend his trial due to his "poor health condition". The Bendong family, through their lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, released a statement alleging that Niño Rey's reason to be intentionally absent was because of his unpreparedness to attend the hearing.
