Slain Bien Unido mayor’s friend, witness to crime, gets online threats

A short service is held at sea to commemorate the second death anniversary of slain Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel (left photo)  After the service, friends and family offer flowers at the area where they believed the body of the mayor was thrown at sea. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, Philippines — The best friend of slain Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel who was one of the key witnesses to her kidnapping and eventual death on June 7, 2017 said that even after two years since the incident, she still received threats mostly sent online.

Angela Leyson was with Gisela the night the mayor was allegedly shot by her husband, former Bohol Provincial Board Member Rey Niño Boniel.

Read more: Gisela Boniel’s case: Witness recounts role in crime

In Leyson’s account she was with her son and Gisela when they were driven to a dive camp in Bien Unido by another key witness, Randel Lupas, and there they stayed before the brutal killing of the mayor.

She claimed that six men entered the room and one of the men pointed a gun to her head, wrapped her face with duct tape, tasered her neck, and stomped onto her until she kneeled.

Leyson also said that she heard Gisela plead to her husband to spare Leyson and her son. 

Gisela called Niño by his nickname, “In-in.”

She said that she and her son were driven in a separate vehicle to Tubigon while she was handcuffed and duct taped in the mouth.

She has filed charges of kidnapping against Niño, who is also facing parricide case for allegedly killing his wife.

Read more: Boniel case: Two years, still searching for justice

Two years later, both kidnapping and parricide cases have yet to be resolved separately in the Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) and Lapu-lapu City RTC, respectively.

Read more: Family and friends commemorate second death anniversary of Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel

Yet, for Leyson the threats continue on as she still receive cryptic messages from unknown sources through her phone and social media accounts.

“I don’t have a permanent mobile phone number for the two years because I keep receiving messages from an unknown number saying unpleasant things,” said Leyson in Tagalog.

She said she also received sensitive images on her social media accounts from unnamed people including an image of a woman beheaded with the words, “Do you want this to happen to your children?”

However, Leyson said she had learned to ignore these messages as no direct threat had been sent to her and her family.

Read more: Judge recuses from hearing parricide, murder cases for death of Gisela Boniel

The kidnapping case against Niño Boniel has also progressed more swiftly than the parricide case, much to the delight of the Prosecution team.

They said that there had been no hitches in the trials at the Cebu City RTC, and the witnesses had been taking the stand and being consistent with their statements.

The Prosecution team said they would need to continue with presenting evidence to thoroughly establish the defendant as guilty beyond reasonable doubt. /dbs