Secretary Reyes no-show at court hearing vs oil firms
10/27/2009 | 04:00 PM
A court ordered Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes on Tuesday to explain his failure to testify in a hearing on the recent fuel price increases imposed by the so-called "Big 3" oil companies.
Presiding Judge Silvino Panfilo Jr. of the Manila Regional Trial Court told Reyes to explain in five days his absence or face indirect contempt charges.
The court earlier summoned the DOE secretary to testify in the case filed by the group Social Justice Society (SJS) against Petron, Shell and Chevron. [See story: Court summons Reyes over oil price hikes]
A report by GMA News’ Julius Segovia quoted a DOE lawyer arguing that Reyes filed a motion to quash on October 21 and that the secretary’s presence in the hearing was unnecessary because President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has issued Executive Order 839.
Mrs. Arroyo ordered a freeze in oil prices in Luzon over the weekend, citing the need to give the people a respite following recent calamities. Oil companies grudgingly complied with the order, but warned that it could lead to a shortage in supply it the freeze would linger.
But SJS lawyer Vladimir Cabigao said Reyes still have to appear in court to explain as the group insisted that the giant oil firms connived in effecting the weekly fuel price increases.
Consumer Oil Price Watch chairman Raul Concepcion, a witness for the SJS case, claimed that EO 839 is illegal because oil is not covered in the Price Act.
Concepcion based his claim on the assertions of the DOE and the Department of Justice that the EO was based on the Oil Deregulation Law.
SJS and transport and other consumer groups earlier accused Reyes of being biased in favor of the "Big 3," citing his "emotional" defense of the oil companies when then Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto claimed that oil pump prices in the country were higher than they actually should be. - GMANews.TV
Presiding Judge Silvino Panfilo Jr. of the Manila Regional Trial Court told Reyes to explain in five days his absence or face indirect contempt charges.
The court earlier summoned the DOE secretary to testify in the case filed by the group Social Justice Society (SJS) against Petron, Shell and Chevron. [See story: Court summons Reyes over oil price hikes]
A report by GMA News’ Julius Segovia quoted a DOE lawyer arguing that Reyes filed a motion to quash on October 21 and that the secretary’s presence in the hearing was unnecessary because President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has issued Executive Order 839.
Mrs. Arroyo ordered a freeze in oil prices in Luzon over the weekend, citing the need to give the people a respite following recent calamities. Oil companies grudgingly complied with the order, but warned that it could lead to a shortage in supply it the freeze would linger.
But SJS lawyer Vladimir Cabigao said Reyes still have to appear in court to explain as the group insisted that the giant oil firms connived in effecting the weekly fuel price increases.
Consumer Oil Price Watch chairman Raul Concepcion, a witness for the SJS case, claimed that EO 839 is illegal because oil is not covered in the Price Act.
Concepcion based his claim on the assertions of the DOE and the Department of Justice that the EO was based on the Oil Deregulation Law.
SJS and transport and other consumer groups earlier accused Reyes of being biased in favor of the "Big 3," citing his "emotional" defense of the oil companies when then Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto claimed that oil pump prices in the country were higher than they actually should be. - GMANews.TV
