Ex-Czech envoy to testify vs Vitangcol in MRT-3 mess

MANILA, Philippines — The former Czech Ambassador to the Philippines will stand as witness against disgraced train manager Al Vitangcol III, who is accused of forging a deal with a company he had ties with.

Anti-graft court Sandiganbayan granted the Office f the Ombudsman's motion to present Rychtar, who is set to testify against five incorporators of the maintenance provider PH Trams. Besides Rychtar, Josef Husak, CEO of Czech company Inekon group was also granted as new witness.

The court's Third Division released the six-page resolution dated January 10 on Monday.

The prosecution sees Rychtar and Husek's testimonies "significant and integral," since their sworn affidavits on the supposed contract anomalies were among the listed documentary evidence.

"Insofar as accused Vitangcol's argument that the testimonies of Rychtar and Husek are hearsay and irrelevant, the Court finds his argument premature as the intended witnesses are yet to testify," the Third Division said.

Rychtar and Husak were not included in the prosecution's final list of witnesses earlier approved by the court through a pre-trial order.

Only documents and witnesses included in the PTO could be presented at the trial proper, according to court rules, thus needing a fresh court resolution. The Third Divison said the rules of court "can be relaxed in the greater interest of justice."

"Indeed, the prosecution must be given ample opportunity to adduce evidence to prove its case considering that it is obligated to prove the accused's guilt beyond reasonable doubt," the ruling read.

Vitangcol and five incorporators of joint venture PH Trams and CB&T namely Wilson de Vera, Marlo dela Cruz, Manolo Maralit, Federico Remo and Arturo Soriano, are facing two cases graft and another case of violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The latest resolution was penned by Third Division chairman and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang with the concurrence of Associate Justices Bernelito Fernandez and Sarah Jane Fernandez.

Case information filed by the ombudsman in 2015 indicated that Vitangcol unlawfully used his position in recommending the awarding of the maintenance contract to PH Trams in 2012 "despite having a direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest" in the company.

Soriano, one of the incorporators of PH Trams, is the uncle of Vitangcol's wife.

Under the contract, the MRT was set to pay PH Trams $1.15 million monthly for its Line 3's maintenance.

Since Vitangcol's term to this day, the MRT-3 is bogged down by multiple technical problems affecting millions of commuters.