A Manila regional trial court issued a subpoena to Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes to testify on Oct. 27 regarding the reported continuing oil price increases by the country's three big oil companies.

Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr., of the Manila RTC Branch 26, issued a subpoena for Reyes to appear in a hearing on the petition of the Social Justice Society (SJS) to stop the weekly oil prices increases.

Former economic planning secretary Ralph Recto and Consumer and Oil Price Watch chairman Raul Concepcion were cross-examined by lawyers of Petron Corp., Chevron and Pilipinas Shell during the past two hearings.

In the hearing, Concepcion testified that the oil firms resorted to fuel price increases at a time when the cost of crude oil in the world market is on a downswing.

On the other hand, Recto reiterated on the witness stand his pronouncements that prices of petroleum products were overpriced by as much as P8 a liter and claimed that there was cartelization among the major oil players.

While he was still director general of the National Economic and Development Authority, Recto was vocal on his predictions about the expected downturn in oil prices and even cited a study to support his claim of overpricing.

SJS sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order last Aug. 10 to prevent the Big 3 oil companies from raising prices of petroleum products “on a weekly basis.”

In its appeal to the court, the SJS claimed Concepcion “may serve as a corroborative witness to the prospective testimony of (resigned economic planning secretary) Recto about the issue of overpricing of petroleum products.”

Lawyer Vladimir Cabigao who represents SJS said, “the public would be enlightened about the issue of overpricing of petroleum products on the testimony of these two distinguished witnesses whose integrity is beyond reproach.”

The group cited a study by the NEDA disputing the pricing of petroleum products by the Big 3 oil companies which, they claimed, gives sufficient basis for the issuance of the TRO and the writ of preliminary injunction as it represents the government’s position on the matter of the pricing of petroleum products.