Vitangcol is facing graft charges filed before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly trying to extort a Czech firm.
The Sandiganbayan sixth division ordered the arrest of former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) General Manager Al Vitangcol III after two counts of graft charges were filed against him for allegedly trying to extort a Czech firm in exchange of contracts with the railway system.
On November 29, the anti-graft court served the arrest warrant against Vitangcol and Wilson de Vera who is reportedly his envoy.
Violations of section 3(b) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were filed before the Sandiganbayan against both Vitangcol and De Vera.
Charged with corruption, ironically, Vitangcol is now representing Citizen’s Crime Watch, an anti-corruption group. While De Vera joined the mayoral race in Pangasinan in 2013 midterm elections under the banner of the Liberal Party but he he did not end victorious.
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, the first graft charge against Vitangcol rooted from the allegations what he tried to extort $30 million from Czech firm Inekon and traded it with contracts for the supply for additional light rail vehicles and maintenance of the MRT-3.
The additional materials and maintenance of the railway system was in connection with the P3.7 billion expansion project for the MRT-3 in 2012.
The Ombudsman’s investigation revealed that the former MRT-3 general manager sent his envoy De Vera to demand for the payment of $30 million from Inekon in exchange of the contracts.
The demand was later reduced to $2.5 million.
They were accused of extorting $30 million from Inekon Group Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Josef Husek, which allegedly happened at the abode of then Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar for the firm to be granted the P3.7 billion contract to supply 48 coaches for the expansion of the MRT-3.
The company later confirmed that they did not give in to the extortion attempt.
