Decision on Niño’s motion falls on Cebu City RTC judges

CONSOLIDATING CASES

The motion to consolidate the charges of illegal detention, kidnapping and parricide lodged against Bohol Provincial Board (PB) Member Rey “Niño” Boniel now lies at the hands of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) after the Lapu-Lapu RTC did not rule on the pleading.

Niño’s camp filed a motion to the Lapu-Lapu RTC Branch 54 yesterday to consolidate the cases but Judge Victor Teves has not acted on the motion, especially since the parricide case against the Bohol Provincial Board Member would be turned over to the Cebu City RTC within the week.

When this happens, it would be the turn of the judges in Cebu City to resolve the pleadings and set the arraignment.

In 2014, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered that all newly-filed criminal cases in Lapu-Lapu City be forwarded to Cebu City since the latter has more courts to accommodate these cases.

Niño was earlier indicted for parricide by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Also indicted were his four alleged cohorts Reolito Boniel, Randel Lupas, Wilfredo Hoylar, and Restituto Magoncia.

Boniel, Lupas, Hoylar, and Magoncia were charged with murder. Their cases were already forwarded to the Branch 57 of the Cebu City RTC.

Niño is also facing charges of illegal detention and kidnapping in Bohol.

Lawyer Gerardo Carillo, Niño’s legal counsel, cited the need to consolidate the cases because it would be a “security nightmare” for them to transport their client from Bohol to Lapu-Lapu City, and vice-versa, during court trials and hearing.

“We should also look out on the safety of our client. Getting him on the road every now and then is a security nightmare,” Carillo added.

Niño is the primary suspect in the death of his wife Mayor Gisela Boniel of Bien Unido town in Bohol.

Gisela was reportedly shot in the head before her body was thrown into the sea last June 7.