CEBU CITY - The pre-trial for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against Bohol Board Member Niño Rey Boniel has been reset to September 5.

The husband and prime suspect in the killing of Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Boniel had been arraigned in a court in Bohol and a pre-trial was supposed to take place on Monday following the transfer of the case information to a Cebu City court.

Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 7 Judge James Stewart Himalaloan clarified that despite a a pending motion to quash information in Bohol, the Cebu Court is not bound by whatever pronouncement made by the previous handling court of the same level of jurisdiction.

However, in order to synchronize the proceedings of all cases, the pre-trial was moved to a later date.

Boniel supposedly shot his wife while on board a boat off Caubian Island in Cebu on June 8, 2017. The body was then allegedly thrown overboard. Her remains have yet to be found to this day.

• Slain Bohol mayor's husband pleads not guilty

Meantime, two other suspects, Randel Lupas and Roilito Boniel, appeared before the court to plead not guilty to the kidnapping cases lodged against the alleged cohorts of the board member.

Both Lupas and Roilito are under the Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program of the Department of Justice.

Gisela's best friend, Angela Leyson, filed a case against Boniel and his companion, whom she accused of holding her and her son inside a beach house in Bien Unido town.