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Killing of Gisela Boniel

SOLVED2017Bien Unido, Bohol, Philippines3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Gisela Zambrano Bendong was born on May 21, 1977, in Iligan City, Philippines. She became the first female commercial pilot for Philippines AirAsia, having faced gender-based discrimination early in her career. She met Niño Rey Feniza Boniel, then mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol, at a conference in Tagbilaran. They married in civil rites in 2012 after Gisela became pregnant, and their first child was born that July. In the 2016 elections, Niño Rey moved to a seat on the Bohol Provincial Board while Gisela succeeded him as mayor of Bien Unido; both won. Gisela reportedly faced political attacks tied to her husband and controversies linked to him, and the marriage was reportedly strained by financial disagreements, including her purchase of an expensive watch.

On June 6, 2017, Mayor Boniel traveled from Cebu City to Tagbilaran with her best friend Angela Celeste Gamalinda-Leyson and her then 17-year-old son for a cyberlibel hearing and a follow-up inquiry at the Commission on Audit regarding a municipal deficit. Although the group had planned to return to Cebu that night, municipal officials persuaded Boniel to travel to Bien Unido to sign documents, reportedly related to an annulment and her intended resignation as mayor. When the document holders proved unavailable, the group stayed overnight at the municipally owned Dive Camp Resort.

In the early morning hours of June 7, 2017, several men entered the room shared by Boniel and Leyson. Leyson was restrained and rendered unconscious; she later testified she overheard Boniel pleading with a man she recognized by the nickname "In-In," understood to be her husband. Leyson and the mayor's son were later taken to Tubigon and put on a boat to Cebu, with Boniel's name falsely entered on the manifest to suggest she had also traveled. According to testimony from a cousin of Niño Rey and a municipal driver, Gisela's body was transported by boat and, per one witness account, Niño Rey shot her before her body was weighted with a rock and disposed of at sea between the Olango Island Group and Bohol. Niño Rey, during interrogation, said his cousin was the shooter; the cousin and the driver alleged it was Niño Rey.

Search and retrieval operations for Boniel's body began June 9, 2017, and were called off permanently on July 15, 2017, after failing to locate her remains. A body found on July 1, 2017, in Tabuelan waters was ruled out as Boniel's and identified as belonging to another woman. Her family held memorial services at sea in July and November 2017.

Niño Rey Boniel was charged with parricide, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and physical injuries, and initially pleaded not guilty to the latter three charges. He resigned his board seat in June 2018. On February 8, 2022, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of homicide under a plea bargain and was sentenced to 8–14 years in prison; separate kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases remain pending.

Key facts

Victims
Gisela Bendong-Boniel
Date
2017
Location
Bien Unido, Bohol, Philippines
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1977-05-21

    Gisela Zambrano Bendong born in Iligan City, Philippines.

  2. 1979-12-19

    Niño Rey Feniza Boniel born in Bien Unido, Bohol.

  3. 2007

    Niño Rey Boniel elected mayor of Bien Unido at age 29.

  4. 2012

    Niño Rey and Gisela marry in civil rites; first child born in July.

  5. 2016

    Niño Rey elected to Bohol Provincial Board; Gisela elected mayor of Bien Unido.

  6. 2017-06-06

    Boniel travels from Cebu to Tagbilaran, then to Bien Unido, and stays overnight at Dive Camp Resort.

  7. 2017-06-07

    Gisela Boniel is killed; her body is disposed of at sea near the Olango Island Group and Bohol.

  8. 2017-06-09

    Search and retrieval operations for Boniel's body begin.

  9. 2017-07-01

    A body found in Tabuelan waters is speculated to be Boniel's but is later ruled out; family holds a memorial service at sea in Caubian Island.

  10. 2017-07-15

    Search and retrieval operation for Boniel's body ends permanently, unsuccessful.

  11. 2017-11

    Boniel's family observes All Souls Day at sea.

  12. 2018-01-11

    Niño Rey Boniel is brought to Cebu jail.

  13. 2018-03-22

    Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II reverses the mariticide order against Niño Rey.

  14. 2018-03-28

    Aguirre revives the mariticide order after backlash.

  15. 2018-06-14

    Niño Rey Boniel resigns as Bohol Board Member; trial set for September 7.

  16. 2018-09-07

    Niño Rey does not attend trial, citing health concerns.

  17. 2019-09-12

    Two suspects connected to the crime are arrested after being found hiding in Lapu-Lapu City.

  18. 2022-02-08

    Niño Rey Boniel pleads guilty to homicide via plea bargain and is sentenced to 8–14 years in prison.

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People

  • Niño Rey Boniel

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to homicide on February 8, 2022, and was sentenced to 8–14 years in prison; also charged with parricide, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and physical injuries, with kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges still pending.

  • Gisela Bendong-Boniel

    VICTIM

    Mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol; killed June 7, 2017; body never recovered.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Bien Unido, Bohol, Philippines

10.1910, 124.2710

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Gisela Bendong-Boniel, the sitting mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol, Philippines, was killed on June 7, 2017, in a plot involving her husband, provincial board member Niño Rey Boniel. Her body has never been recovered. In 2022, Niño Rey pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of homicide and was sentenced to 8–14 years in prison; he still faces separate kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges.
Where did the killing happen?
Bien Unido, Bohol, Philippines.
Who was convicted?
Niño Rey Boniel (Pleaded guilty to homicide on February 8, 2022, and was sentenced to 8–14 years in prison; also charged with parricide, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and physical injuries, with kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges still pending.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
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Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICKilling of Gisela BonielWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSFamily of Gisela holds memorial service in the middle of the seacebudailynews.inquirer.net · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSCebuana pilots first AirAsia Manila-Davao flightsunstar.com.ph · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 10, 2026