The court order made the empty threats of Sec. Reyes a reality. It also broadened the scope of the probe. While Petron, for instance, was willing to disclose its financial statement – which is a public document, anyway – the court wants to look at other important documents.
Specifically, the court wants to examine the cash receipts, cash disbursement books, purchase orders on petroleum products, delivery receipts, sales invoices and other related documents on the purchases of petroleum products.
A discredited task force
Moreover, the intervention of the court has allowed a potentially more credible probe of the oil firms. Under Republic Act 8479 or the Oil Deregulation Law, two of the Arroyo administration’s most discredited agencies are in-charge of investigating the abuses of industry players. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are mandated by RA 8479 to police the oil firms.
In fact, the oil companies are using this particular provision of the Oil Deregulation Law to derail the court’s order. Chevron, for instance, raised that strong public interest – which Pampilo used as basis in his ruling – is not a valid ground for the court to probe them. RA 8479, Chevron argued, sets specific procedure for complaints on overpricing through the DOE-DOJ Task Force.
But the DOE-DOJ Task Force has already cleared the Big Three of cartelization. This Task Force, practically lawyering for the big oil firms, submitted a report to Pampilo’s sala last January, saying:
“There is no evidence showing that the oil companies committed a monopoly or a combination in restraint of trade in violation of Article 186 of the Revised Penal Code. There is likewise no evidence showing that the oil companies committed cartelization as defined under Section 11 (a) of RA No. 8479”.
Malacañang and the big oil companies have conveniently used the Task Force to cover up and legitimize the abuses in the industry. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez told the Task Force to conduct its own probe last February in an apparent effort to undermine the case pending at Pampilo’s sala. Gonzalez was reminded that the Task Force has already finished such probe and in fact has filed a report favorable to the Big Three.
ang dami pang imbestigasyon eh, ang sulusyon jan ibasura na yang Oil Deregulation Law at iabalik yung Oil Buffer Fund na pangsubsidies ng gubyernong makadayuhan. kahit pa anong imbestigasyon ang gawin ninyo wla yan kasi my batas na kumukumpas s pagtataas nila ng presyo. kita nyo na ayan ba ang globalization na ipinangangalandakan ng burgesya ng planetang ito, destruction sa sangkatauhan at planeta ntin ang nagyayari eh, buhay na nakikita ntin yan.galing ng economic planner ng emperyo ng kano, hahaha.
basahin nyo yung shock doctrine dun makikita nyo ano ba nagyayari talaga.