Murder complaint filed vs SJDM mayor, reps, others
Published May 28, 2018 15:27 pm
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Updated May 28, 2018 15:27 pm
By Czarina Nicole Ong
A murder complaint has been filed against San Jose del Monte (SJDM) Mayor Arthur Robes and his wife, Rep. Rida Robes, and several officials of the SJDM Water District today before the Office of the Ombudsman due to the reportedly deliberate explosion of a water tank in October.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Robes' private secretary Perfecto Jaime Tagalog and Gil Gayosa (also known as Rico Castillo) were also included in the complaint, which was filed by SJDM Councilor Irene del Rosario.
She stated in the complaint that "no other person in our city... is courageous enough to do the act of bringing to the attention of the Office of the Ombudsman this exceedingly disgusting and unforgivable act."
According to Del Rosario, the respondents desired to earn billions of pesos from the proposed privatization of the water district in their city, so they deliberately blew up the water tank in Barangay. Muzon at 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2017 "without regard to the big risk that it would likely cause deaths to the residents around the said tank."
She said the blowing up of the water tank was intentional and premeditated, so even though there was no intention to kill the victims, Del Rosario said the act still constitutes as murder.
The said privatization would reportedly be handled by Primewater, owned by Sen. Cynthia Villar's group of companies. Del Rosario said the mayor and his wife, the congresswoman, stand to get big commissions if the transaction between the water district and Primewater pushed through.
"A look at all the video footages shown by the news establishments...shows that the blast was no different from a bomb," the complaint read. "Engr. Loreto Limcolloc even said that it was not a case that there was a small leak that started before the water tank collapsed."
Had that been the case, Limcolloc said the collapsed materials and the debris must only be found at the bottom of the tank.
Del Rosario stressed that the cause of the explosion was the buildup of the pressure of the air trapped inside the water tank, since "the splash of water was so powerful that in hitting , they almost drowned and the concrete walls of their houses were torn down."
For evidence, Del Rosario said there were sworn statements made by persons who were recruited to do the job of exploding the water tank. She called them "hired liars" who were recruited by Tagalog to put the blame on Del Rosario as the mastermind of the explosion.
"Luckily for me, these two persons executed another affidavit without fear under the pain of perjury to declare that they were engaged by Perfecto to execute false matters to declare that they were asked to execute sworn statements to pinpoint that I was the one who caused the blowing up of the same water tank," the complaint read.
Del Rosario said the two "hired liars" were closely attended to, fed and given money by Tagalog, who was then designated as officer-in-charge of the city's Public Employment Service Office (PESO). They admitted that the mission was very important for the Robes couple, because they wanted to be free from any accusation from the bursting of the tank.
Because of their actions, the complainant said the joint venture between San Jose Waters and Primewater Inc. was approved on May 16, 2018. Unfortunately, the actions that led to the venture was akin to "terrorism," said Del Rosario.
"Indeed, the circumstantial evidence are sufficient to conclude there is probable cause that the respondents...committed the crimes of four counts of the complex crimes of murder and of frustrated murders," the complaint read.
The SJDM Water District officials included in the complaint are General Manager Loreto Limcolioc, Chairman of the Board Enrique Delos Santos, Secretary Felipe Policarpio Jr., Board Member Victoria Aurora Camua, Board Member Jovita Vizmonte-Mateo, and Assistant General Engr. Victor Canita Jr.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Robes' private secretary Perfecto Jaime Tagalog and Gil Gayosa (also known as Rico Castillo) were also included in the complaint, which was filed by SJDM Councilor Irene del Rosario.
She stated in the complaint that "no other person in our city... is courageous enough to do the act of bringing to the attention of the Office of the Ombudsman this exceedingly disgusting and unforgivable act."
According to Del Rosario, the respondents desired to earn billions of pesos from the proposed privatization of the water district in their city, so they deliberately blew up the water tank in Barangay. Muzon at 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2017 "without regard to the big risk that it would likely cause deaths to the residents around the said tank."
She said the blowing up of the water tank was intentional and premeditated, so even though there was no intention to kill the victims, Del Rosario said the act still constitutes as murder.
The said privatization would reportedly be handled by Primewater, owned by Sen. Cynthia Villar's group of companies. Del Rosario said the mayor and his wife, the congresswoman, stand to get big commissions if the transaction between the water district and Primewater pushed through.
"A look at all the video footages shown by the news establishments...shows that the blast was no different from a bomb," the complaint read. "Engr. Loreto Limcolloc even said that it was not a case that there was a small leak that started before the water tank collapsed."
Had that been the case, Limcolloc said the collapsed materials and the debris must only be found at the bottom of the tank.
Del Rosario stressed that the cause of the explosion was the buildup of the pressure of the air trapped inside the water tank, since "the splash of water was so powerful that in hitting , they almost drowned and the concrete walls of their houses were torn down."
For evidence, Del Rosario said there were sworn statements made by persons who were recruited to do the job of exploding the water tank. She called them "hired liars" who were recruited by Tagalog to put the blame on Del Rosario as the mastermind of the explosion.
"Luckily for me, these two persons executed another affidavit without fear under the pain of perjury to declare that they were engaged by Perfecto to execute false matters to declare that they were asked to execute sworn statements to pinpoint that I was the one who caused the blowing up of the same water tank," the complaint read.
Del Rosario said the two "hired liars" were closely attended to, fed and given money by Tagalog, who was then designated as officer-in-charge of the city's Public Employment Service Office (PESO). They admitted that the mission was very important for the Robes couple, because they wanted to be free from any accusation from the bursting of the tank.
Because of their actions, the complainant said the joint venture between San Jose Waters and Primewater Inc. was approved on May 16, 2018. Unfortunately, the actions that led to the venture was akin to "terrorism," said Del Rosario.
"Indeed, the circumstantial evidence are sufficient to conclude there is probable cause that the respondents...committed the crimes of four counts of the complex crimes of murder and of frustrated murders," the complaint read.
The SJDM Water District officials included in the complaint are General Manager Loreto Limcolioc, Chairman of the Board Enrique Delos Santos, Secretary Felipe Policarpio Jr., Board Member Victoria Aurora Camua, Board Member Jovita Vizmonte-Mateo, and Assistant General Engr. Victor Canita Jr.