Former Metro Rail Transit 3 General Manager Al Sanchez Vitangcol III has been convicted by the Sandiganbayan Third Division of his graft and Government Procurement Reform Act violations involving the irregular MRT 3 maintenance contract back in October 2012.
Also convicted of the same offenses was former Pangasinan provincial accountant Arturo Vallo Soriano.
Vitangcol and Soriano were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 and Section 65(c)(1) of the Government Procurement Reform Act.
They were each sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty ranging from six years and one month as minimum to eight years as maximum for each of the charges. They were also sentenced to suffer perpetual absolute disqualification from holding public office.
On the other hand, Vitangcol and Soriano were acquitted of their violation of Section 3(h) of RA 3019 due to the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Their co-accused, PH Trams incorporators Wilson Tigno de Vera, Marlo Pilapil dela Cruz, Manolo Mayo Maralit, and Federico Remo were acquitted of all violations.
The charges stemmed from the awarding of the MRT 3 maintenance contract to PH Trams and CB and T Joint Venture back in October 2012.
Soriano, who is actually the uncle of Vitangcol’s wife, is one of the directors of PH Trams. (Czarina Nicole Ong-Ki)
TO BE UPDATED
