SJDM solon, mayor sued for murder over water tank collapse

San Jose Del Monte City Representative Florida Robes and her husband, Mayor Arthur Robes, were sued for murder at the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday over their alleged roles in a water tank explosion that killed four people in 2017.

Councilor Irene del Rosario, who sought the assistance of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption due to security concerns, filed four counts of murder and 43 counts of frustrated muder against the Robes couple.

Del Rosario also charged San Jose Del Monte Water District (SJDMWD) general manager Loreto Limcolioc, board chairman Enrique Delos Santos, secretary Felipe Policarpio Jr., board members Victoria Camua and Jovita Vizmonte-Mateo, assistant general manager Engr. Victor Canita Jr., private secretary to the city mayor Perfecto Tagalog, and a certain Gil Gayosa.

Del Rosario claimed the couple was behind the collapse of a water tank in Barangay Muzon on October 6. She said the incident was the result of the Robeses' conspiracy with the other respondents to justify the privatization of SJDMWD. 

"They deliberately caused the explosion of this water tank without regard to the big risk that it would likely cause deaths to the residents around the said tank," Del Rosario said in her complaint affidavit.

She told reporters during an interview that she has attached "circumstantial evidence" linking the Robes couple to the incident in order to facilitate the takeover by Primewater, a company owned by the family of Senator Cynthia Villar, to the water district.

Del Rosario said she has the sworn statements of two witnesses saying they were paid by Tagalog, who is allegedly the "political operator" of the Robeses, to identify her as the prime suspect in the case.

"Meron akong dalawang surrendered witnesses who testified na binayaran sila ni Tagalog para sabihin na isa ako sa mastermind sa pagpapasabog ng tangke sa Barangay Muzon. Maybe because I am very vocal with my opposition sa joint venture with Primewater," Del Rosario said.

She added that these witnesses supposedly stayed in the farm of the Robes couple.

"Kung walang foul play sa pagsabog ng tangke, bakit kailangan mag-hire si Tagalog? And base sa pahayag ng mga witnesses, sila ay tumira sa farm na pag-aari ng mga mag-asawang Robes. Doon sila itinago," Del Rosario said.

Sought for comment, the office of Representative Robes said the lawmaker will read the complaint first before releasing a statement. —KG, GMA News