MANILA, Philippines — A Manila judge denied on Wednesday the motion seeking to inhibit himself from hearing a suit, which aimed to stop the Big 3 oil players from raising prices of their products.

Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of the Manila regional trial court Branch 26, said the motion for inhibition earlier filed separately by Petron Corporation and Pilipinas Shell Corporation failed to prove with substantial evidence the allegations of bias and partiality.

He said he would not inhibit himself from the case without valid cause because to do so would encourage a form of forum shopping among litigants.

Pampilo is currently hearing the Social Justice Society's motion for a temporary restraining order enjoining the three oil companies from "further increasing the pump prices of their petroleum products."

The oil firms earlier stated that they "have lost faith and confidence...and do not expect a fair and impartial resolution of the instant suit" because of the judge's actuations, conduct and pronouncements.

But in his two-page order, Pampilo said the allegations against him by the respondents were untrue and baseless.

"It has already been established by jurisprudence that motion for inhibition must be grounded on just and valid causes," the judge explained.

He cited a Supreme Court ruling where it was held that: "for bias and prejudice to be considered valid reasons for the voluntary inhibition of judges, mere suspicion is not enough. Bare allegations of their partiality will not suffice in the absence of evidence....”

Pampilo added that inhibiting judges from cases without valid cause would encourage a form of forum shopping "in which litigants would be allowed to shop for a judge more sympathetic to their cause. Such action would be antithetical to the speedy and fair administration of justice."