Former MRT-3 chief, five execs face graft charges

The Ombudsman has filed graft charges against former Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) manager Al Vitangcol and five others over an anomalous MRT-3 maintenance contract.

The Ombudsman on Tuesday said it filed graft charges before the Sandiganbayan on November 27 against Vitangcol and five other officials of the Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corporation (PH Trams) over a maintenance deal in 2012.

Vitangcol together with co-accused Wilson de Vera, Arturo Soriano, Marlo dela Cruz, Manolo Maralit, and Federico Remo of PH Trams were charged with violating Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Copies of the complaint filed before the anti-graft court said that Vitangcol acted with “evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence” after he entered a contract with PH Trams.

The Ombudsman said Vitangcol entered into a contract with PH Trams and its venture partner Comm Builders and Technology Philippines Corporation despite PH Trams being disqualified under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.

Ombudsman said the contract should not have been awarded to the joint venture as PH Trams executive Arturo Soriano was the uncle of Vitangcol’s wife.
“In fact, as all the accused knew, accused Soriano, one of the PH Trams’ incorporators, is an uncle-in-law, a relative by affinity within the third civil degree of accused Vitangcol,” part of the complaint read.

But despite this, Ombudsman said that Vitangcol and his co-accused intentionally concealed his affinity and relation with Soriano so as not to automatically disqualify the company from the bidding.

In May 2014, Vitangcol was sacked as the MRT’s general manager to give way to an investigation over the anomalous deal.