Prosecution witness claims being asked not to testify

A WITNESS in the killing of Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel has claimed that he was approached by an emissary of Bohol Provincial Board Member Niño Rey Boniel, the principal suspect in the crime, and asked not to get involved in the case and promised money in exchange for not attending hearings.

Niñolito Avenido reported to the Bien Unido Police Station saying he was approached at least three times; the first was on July 13, in Barangay Puerto San Pedro, Bien Unido town when he was told to stay out of the cases Niño is facing relative to the disappearance of his wife Gisela, and the alleged kidnapping of Gisela’s best friend Angela Leyson and her son.

Avenido was the security guard of the dive camp, where Leyson and her son were allegedly detained. It is also the last place Gisela was seen alive.

“Nagsumbong sa akin yung isang witness ng prosecution na he was visited three times by an emissary of Boniel (Niño) that they are harassing him (witness) by telling him not to attend hearings by promising money for him (and) to get vacation somewhere,” said Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Regional Intelligence Division head in Central Visayas.

Avenido reported to the police that the man who approached him, whose name is being withheld, was ordered by the board member’s camp to talk to him. Avenido said he refused the request for him not to get involved in the cases.

He also said that the same man came back to his house on July 15 and 17 and asked him to take a two-day vacation so he would not be able to attend the preliminary hearing of the kidnapping case, scheduled last July 18.

Because of “fear and annoyance,” Avenido went to the police and reported the incident, said Cabal.

Sought for comment, Niño’s lawyer Gerardo Carillo denied the allegations.

“Pagpanaot ra na sa pikas (prosecution). Kinsa man nga witness sad among doolan nga para namo ang witnesses nga ilang girepresentar does not hold any grounds,” Carillo told CDN.

(The prosecution just wants us to be put in a bad light. And who among the witnesses should we approached when for us, none of their witnesses’ testimony holds any grounds.)

“Sa korte nalang mi mag-abot (We will just meet in court),” Carillo added.