Vitangcol indicted over MRT contract

MANILA, Philippines – Former Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) general manager Al Vitangcol III has been charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan after the Office of the Ombudsman accused him of having a role in the anomalous grant of a multimillion-dollar contract to maintain rail services in 2012 and 2013.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, who signed the contract, was excluded from the charge.

Others charged were Vitangcol’s uncle-in-law Arturo Soriano, currently the provincial accountant of Pangasinan; Wilson de Vera, who ran for mayor under the Liberal Party in Calasiao, also in Pangasinan; Marlo de la Cruz, reportedly a Liberal Party campaign supporter in Manaoag, Pangasinan; Manolo Maralit and Federico Remo.

They were named respondents in their capacities as incorporators of Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp. (PH Trams), which got the MRT-3 interim maintenance deal worth $1.15 million a month without public bidding on Oct. 20, 2012 when Vitangcol headed MRT-3.

The anomalous contract was renewed three times until Sept. 4, 2013, according to the Office of the Ombudsman.

It found probable cause to file charges in court as early as July 2015.

Vitangcol and his co-accused conspired to award the irregular contract in violation of Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act, according to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Vitangcol used his power and authority as MRT general manager, chief end-user, head of the negotiating team and BAC member all rolled into one, “to dictate the proponents invited for the preliminary negotiations” of the maintenance services, and “intentionally hid his (affinitive) relationship with Soriano, which would have automatically disqualified PH Trams,” the Office of the Ombudsman said.

The Sandiganbayan is expected to raffle the case to one of its five courts on Friday to determine which division will hear the case.