The public hearing of the opposition against the 233 percent increase of toll rates at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) was deferred next month but the transport groups and local government officials who are opposing to the hike have failed to convince the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to defer the dreaded toll hike on August 16.

TRB executive director Manuel Imperial Thursday decided to move the public hearing on September 1 after transport groups, local government officials and other petitioners to the review of the approved new toll rates for the SLEx have asked a number of documents pertinent to the TRB's decision to allow South Luzon Tollways Corporation (SLTC) to impose the new rates.

Imperial promised to furnish the oppositors the documents that they were requesting by Monday but he did not make the commitment to postpone the toll increase that is set to be implemented on the same day.

"I cannot decide on your request on my own. I will have to submit it to the Board for their consideration. We will perhaps conduct a special board meeting by Friday," Imperial said during the hearing attended by Vice Gov. Mark Leviste of Batangas, and George San Mateo of the Pinag-isang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operaytors Nationwide (PISTON), among other oppositors.

But Imperial admitted that deferring the implementation of new toll rates at SLEx will be a breach of contract on the part of the government.

"The decision to postpone again should not be a unilateral decision. We will have to try and talk to the investors because we cannot demand them to defer their increase again. This may give a wrong signal to future investors in the country," he said.

Cynthia Laureta, external counsel for the SLTC, said they will await the TRB's decision but she aired the company's continuing opposition to the public's clamor to postpone the toll rate increase.

"While we understand where our oppositors are coming from, another deferment may not be acceptable to our Malaysian investors who also have commitments to their lenders," she said.

Laureta urged TRB to consider that the SLTC has been losing at least P6 million a day since July 7, the second time that the toll hike was deferred next to June 30. This is on top of the P11 billion worth of investments that the SLTC has poured for the rehabilitation of the highway that connects Metro Manila to the Calabarzon Region.

"The Malaysian investors have deferred it too long already. We are just hoping that after hearing the oppositors and the SLTC, TRB will consider that they have allowed operators of other tollways to immediately implement their initial toll rate upon the start of their concession period. The SLTC are expecting uniformity in the enforcement of law and same treatment from TRB, especially after five concession years have already passed us without any toll rate increase," Laureta said.

When asked if the SLTC plans to sue the government should TRB decides to postpone the toll rate increase, Laureta said "we will study our options under the contract."