TWO TOP OFFICIALS OF METRO RAIL Corp., with 13 others, were charged in the Quezon City Prosecutor?s Office with robbery, grave coercion, and malicious mischief by an outdoor advertising firm, according to a document obtained by Inquirer.

Trackworks Rail Transit Advertising Vending and Promotions Inc., in its complaint, named as respondents MRT Development Corp. chairman of the board Robert John L. Sobrepeña and its vice president, Rommel C. Gavieta.

The other respondents were Raul Bautista, Barclay Nettleford, David Edmonds, Domingo Guanzon Jr., Raymund B. Lanuzga, Arvin L. Buena, Rico Coralde, Albert Almeda, Manuel Genio, Oliver Coloma, Angel Macasaya Jr. Jhonrey Sampior, and Alvin Yasul of Media Puzzle Inc., with offices at Salcedo Village in Makati City.

The complainant said the respondents, ?conspiring, confederating and conniving with one another, atrociously dismantled removed and destroyed and took with extreme prejudice, with the assistance of four armed escorts, its advertising tarpaulins installed at its advertising structure and billboard without its prior consent.?

Takeover

According to Trackworks spokesperson Bing Kimpo, the company is owned by Joselito de Joya, but it was represented in the suit by Angel Bautista III, maintenance group head. He added that Media Puzzle was included in the suit because it ?took over the ownership, possession and control over Trackworks? advertising structures and ads.?

He said the respondents also installed Media Puzzle?s tarpaulin on Trackworks? subject billboard without prior consent.

The complaint added that around 2:45 a.m. of April 30, employees of Media Puzzle dismantled the tarpaulin and installed it on a structure at the Quezon Avenue station of EDSA -MRT 3.

Because of the move, the outdoor advertising company sustained losses in income, Kimpo added.

The Trackworks spokesperson said the company has the exclusive right to use and access advertising structures or billboards based on a contract entered into by MRT and the outdoor company in 1998.

The Inquirer tried to contact the Media Puzzle office for comment, but no one took the calls. Sobrepeña also did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him.