Vitangcol asks Sandigan to admonish prosecution
Former Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 General Manager Al Sanchez Vitangcol III is asking the Sandiganbayan Third Division to admonish the Office of the Prosecutor for "resorting to the bar of public opinion to sway their way towards his conviction."
Vitangcol has been charged for allegedly favoring PH Trams and CB and T Joint Venture in the awarding of the MRT3 maintenance contract in October 2012.
He did not disclose that Pangasinan provincial accountant Arturo Vallo Soriano, one of the directors of PH Trams, is actually his wife's uncle.
On Nov. 15, 2018, he filed a manifestation of grave concern, citing two news articles - one from CNN Philippines and another from the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The former stated that the prosecution has presented enough evidence to prove his guilt, while the latter said Vitangcol cannot downplay the role he played in the MT3 negotiation process.
Vitangcol argued that the prosecution released the documents to the media to gain mileage in their case against him. In doing so, Vitangcol said the prosecution violated the gag order issued by the anti-graft court in April 19, 2016.
After reviewing Vitangcol's manifestation, the court ruled that it was without merit. "There does not appear to be a clear and specific indication that their sources were from any member of the prosecution panel," the court resolution read.
"Neither does it show that the information... came from the Office of the Ombudsman or the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Clearly, the allegations are by themselves bare and without any evidentiary support," it added.