The two main witnesses to the extortion case against an Aquino administration’s Metro Rail Transit Line 3 official can no longer be presented by the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan.
Ombudsman prosecutors were supposed to present former Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar and Inekon chairman of the board of Husek Josef Husek through video conferencing on Friday but they asked the court to postpone the trial to either December or January.
The Sandiganbayan earlier warned the Ombudsman that the Oct. 26 hearing is the last to be scheduled for the testimonies of Rychtar and Husek since their schedule has been moved several times.
The anti-graft court is hearing the case filed by the Ombudsman against former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 general manager Al Vitangcol III over the alleged extortion attempt on the Czec train supply and maintenance contractor Inekon.
In asking the court to reschedule of their appearance through teleconferencing in court, the Ombudsman said Rychtar is still completing his tour of duty as ambassador to Chile, while Husek cited legal impediments under Czech laws.
The Sandiganbayan denied the request of the prosecution, saying that it already granted its appeal to defer the testimonies of Rychtar and Husek twice and further deferments would only delay the proceedings.
The anti-graft court also noted that Rychtar and Husek seem to lack the commitment to testify against Vitangcol.
“Considering that Ambassador Rychtar does not know where he will be at the end of October, and that the legal impediments to the giving of Mr. Husek’s testimony will not be removed within the next few months, resetting the hearing to December 2018 or January 2019 will accomplish nothing but cause delay in the proceedings,” the resolution read.
The Sandiganbayan also ordered the prosecution to present its formal offer of evidence, indicating the submission of case against Vitangcol for decision.
Vitangcol was 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 charge were also 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 Corporation, in October 2012.
