Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna (left) presents his client, Allan delos Reyes, who was one of the at-large suspects in the killing of Mayor Gisela Boniel, in his office. Delos Reyes denied the allegations against him.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
GISELA boniel’s KILLING
One of four at-large suspects in the killing of Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel has surfaced and has denied any part of the crime.
Allan delos Reyes Jr., also known as JR, who was accompanied and assisted by his lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna, said he was surprised at being included in the case.
“Natingala ko nganong ilaha kong giapil ana (in the case) [I am shocked why they included me in the case],” Delos Reyes said in a media briefing yesterday.
Delos Reyes was identified as one of the four persons who were allegedly in the boat when the mayor was killed.
He was one of the at-large respondents of the parricide complaint filed at the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office, which included Bohol Provincial
Board Member (PB) Niño Rey Boniel, Gisela’s husband.
The other three at-large suspects are Lubo Boniel, Wilson Hoylar and Bryan Sayson.
Lawyer Dela Cerna said that they would submit their counter-affidavit at the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office tomorrow (Tuesday).
He said that they received the order of the prosecutor to respond to the parricide complaint against his client yesterday.
Sought help
Dela Cerna said that Delos Reyes came to him and sought his help in the case because he feared for his life.
“After he was tagged as a suspect, he already feared for his life. (By surfacing today) his life is now at less risk,” Dela Cerna said of his client.
He said that their counter-affidavit would contain his client’s denial of being involved in the crime because he was not present at the time and date of the killing of Gisela.
Witnesses
Dela Cerna said that they had gathered affidavits from witnesses who would support his client’s claim that he was in a different place during the crime.
“Naay daghan mo-witness nga kadtong gabhiona between the hours of ten o’clock of June 6 up to early morning of June 7 (he was not with Niño). He can tell the whole world nga layo g’yud siya sa place and time sa gi-complain sa iyaha (We have witnesses who can tell that between the hours of ten o’clock of June 6 to early morning of June 7 Delos Reyes was not with Niño. He (Delos Reyes) can tell the whole world that he was not at the place when the crime was done),” said Dela Cerna.
Delos Reyes was allegedly the other person who carried Gisela’s body from the resort to the area where the pump boat was docked as per statements of suspects turned witnesses Reolito Boniel and Randel Lupas.
Police reminder
With this development, Dela Cerna reminded police that they could no longer arrest and investigate his client.
“There is no reason nga moingon na sad sila (police) og hot pursuit. There is no basis for any warrantless arrest because motubag naman mi (There is no reason for the police to arrest my client under the guise of a hot pursuit operation. There is no basis for any warrantless arrest since we will answer the charges in court),” Dela Cerna said.
Cite in contempt
Meanwhile, lawyer Gerardo Carillo, one of the lawyers of Niño and the other suspects, said that they would ask the court to cite in contempt the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) for refusing to release two other suspects despite an order from the court.
Carillo was referring to suspects, Wilfredo Hoylar and Restituto Magoncia, who was ordered released by Regional Trial Court Branch 16 Presiding Judge Sylvia Paderanga on June 30.
The order issued by Paderanga granted the writ of habeas corpus filed by the wives of the two suspects.
But Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, PRO-7 director, said he was not fazed by the lawyer’s threat.
“Yes, anytime. We are ready to be subjected for contempt,” said Taliño.
Taliño said that murder charges were already filed against Hoylar and Magoncia in court, hence the writ of habeas corpus that was earlier issued in favor of the two suspects is already moot and academic.