The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division has affirmed its earlier decision allowing the video conferencing of two Czech nationals who will testify in the case against former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 general manager Al Vitangcol III.
In a resolution dated Aug. 16, the anti-graft court division struck down the appeal of Vitangcol to prevent the testimonies of former Czech ambassador to the Philippines and current ambassador to Chile Josef Rychtar and Inekon board chairman Josef Husek in connection with the $30-million extortion case leveled against him.
The anti-graft court reversed its ruling denying the testimonies of Rychtar and Husek after the prosecution was asked to provide evidence of their inability to compel the Czech nationals to testify in open court.
Vitangcol claimed he was denied of due process. He said he was not furnished copies of the e-mail correspondences between the camps of the Czech witnesses which had been kept confidential for ‘privacy reasons.’
He said the video conferencing made him unable to answer the charges leveled against him Rychtar and Husek as contrary to a face-to-face or physical cross examination in the court room.
But the Sandiganbayan said Vitangcol’s motion for reconsideration was filed beyond the five-day limit when an accused can lodge his appeal.
Vitangcol was also accused of putting pressure on Inekon representatives to enter into a joint venture agreement with his supposed “envoy” Wilson De Vera for the contract.
Separate graft charges had also been filed against Vitangcol in connection with the alleged anomalous awarding of the MRT-3’s $1.15-million maintenance contract to PH Trams and its joint venture, Comm Builders and Technology Philippines Corp., in October 2012.”‹
