Czech ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar (left) and former Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol. INQUIRER PHOTO
The Sandiganbayan has allowed the former Czech ambassador to the Philippines to testify in the graft case against former Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol—via video conferencing.
In a resolution dated July 3, the court’s Sixth Division granted the Ombudsman prosecutors’ appeal to let Josef Rychtár testify about Vitangcol’s alleged $30-million extortion attempt, even without the diplomat returning to the country.
Also allowed to testify through a video conference was Inekon Group AS board chair Josef Hušek.
Rychtár and Hušek’s testimonies would be taken from the Philippine embassies in Santiago, Chile, and in Prague, the Czech Republic capital.
Rychtár currently serves as the Czech ambassador to Chile, while Hušek could not come to the Philippines for the trial due to business commitments and health problems.
The antigraft court set their testimonies—for Aug. 31, 8:30 a.m. (Aug. 30, 8:30 p.m. in Santiago) and Sept. 7, 1:30 p.m. (7:30 a.m. in Prague).
The prosecution considers their statements vital to the case because of their personal knowledge of the allegations against Vitangcol.
No interruptions
In the resolution, the court required that the internet connection “must be suitable for video conferencing, without disconnections, lags or other such interruptions.” The prosecution would be required to shoulder the costs of setting up the equipment and internet connection.
In April, the Sandiganbayan initially denied the prosecution’s request, citing its failure to prove the inability of the two Czech witnesses to come to the Philippines.
The prosecution’s original request did not submit the e-mail correspondences for privacy reasons, but they later attached printouts to their appeal.
Rychtár alleged that Vitangcol sent Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp. executive Wilson de Vera to the diplomat’s residence on July 9, 2012, to demand $30 million from Inekon representatives, in exchange for bagging the contract to supply light rail vehicles under Lot 1 of the MRT 3 Capacity Expansion Project.
Offer lowered
Even as De Vera supposedly lowered the offer to $2.5 million, Inekon’s representatives refused, according to the charge.
The next day, Vitangcol allegedly pushed the offer during a meeting in his office, but to no avail.
Vitangcol also allegedly pressured Inekon to enter into a 60-40 sharing agreement with De Vera’s group for the MRT 3 maintenance contract, but the Czech firm also turned down this offer.