Vitangcol insists Czech ambassador’s extortion allegations ‘are all lies’ 

(Updated 12:36 p.m.) Sacked Metro Rail Transit Line 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol on Tuesday dismissed as lies Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar's allegation that top MRT officials tried to extort $30 million from the Czech company Inekon Group in exchange for the contract to supply 48 trains for the MRT 3 expansion.

“I categorically state that the allegations by the Czech Ambassador are all lies,” Vitangcol told lawmakers at the hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability on the alleged extortion attempt.

 

Vitangcol said he has filed a perjury complaint against Rychtar based on his claims, which are contained in the complaint-affidavit he submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

 

The NBI conducted a probe on the alleged extortion attempt.

Earlier, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she has received the NBI report on the Inekon issue and that she intends to submit the same to President Benigno Aquino III. 

 

Vitangcol said he only knew about the Czech ambassador’s allegations when it was reported by the media in July 2013.

 

“Between July 2012 and July 2013, the Czech ambassor had a meeting in my office. They visited the MRT depot and checked status of our coaches but he never mentioned anything about extortion attempt,” he said.

 

According to Vitangcol, he first met Rychtar in July 2012 when the Inekon Group submitted its proposal to supply MRT coaches.

 

After this, they met on two more occasions before the controversy erupted a year later.

 

The P3.8-billion contract for the supply of 48 new MRT coaches was awarded to CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. of China.

 

Rychtar was not present in the House panel’s investigation on the alleged extortion attempt.