Court allows Reyes to skip next hearing vs oil firms

The Manila Regional Trial Court has granted Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes’ request not to attend the Nov. 10 hearing on the alleged cartelization of the country’s three largest oil companies. Reyes, however, was ordered to attend the hearing on Nov. 11, according to a two-page order by Manila RTC Branch 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. Pampilo said Reyes could not show up in the Nov. 10 hearing because he has to attend a Cabinet meeting. "The explanation of Secretary Reyes for his valid reason for his absence satisfies this Court," the order read. The court subpoenaed Reyes last October 21 upon the request of Petron Corporation, one of the respondents in the case, to appear on the Oct. 27 hearing. Reyes, however, did not show up at the proceedings. The group Social Justice Society (SJS) has asked the court to cite Reyes in contempt for snubbing the hearing. The court then gave the Energy chief five days to explain why he should not be cited in contempt. In a motion to quash filed last October 21, government lawyers said Reyes' presence in the hearing was unnecessary because President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo already issued Executive Order 839 which mandated the oil firms to maintan prices of petroleum products at their October 15 levels. The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) told the court last Oct. 27 that Reyes should not be cited for indirect contempt because there is a pending motion asking to quash the subpoena issued to him. It also noted that there is another pending motion filed by Petron to withdraw its earlier motion asking the court to subpoena Reyes. The case stemmed from SJS’s accusation that the three largest oil companies – Petron, Pilipinas Shell and Chevron Corporation – are engaged in fuel cartelization. It also asked the court to stop the firms from raising the prices of petroleum products “on a weekly basis." - GMANews.TV