MANILA, Philippines?The Manila City Regional Trial Court on Monday denied the bid of the Social Justice Society (SJS) and transport group Pasang Masda to stop oil companies from doing another round of increase.

In his order, Manila RTC Branch 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo said there is no factual legal basis on the motion filed by SJS.

Pampilo based his order on the testimony of former National Economic Development Authority (Neda) chief Solita Collas-Monsod or ?Mareng Winnie,? who said that simultaneous increase in pump prices does not necessarily mean conspiracy among the oil companies.

?They face the same situation, the (oil) companies are facing the same international market,? she added.

Monsod also noted that price of oil is relatively low compared to other countries, including Thailand which raises pump prices daily.

The case was filed by the SJS against the three largest oil companies?Petron, Pilipinas Shell, and Chevron Corporation?for allegedly engaging in fuel cartelization. It also asked the court to stop the firms from raising the prices of petroleum products ?on a weekly basis."

Then, last April, in his three-page order, Pampilo cited public interest in granting a motion for the opening and examination of the books of accounts of the three oil companies.

Pampilo directed the Commission on Audit (CoA), the Bureau of Internal and Revenue (BIR), and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to form a panel of examiners to ?open and examine the cash receipts, cash disbursement books, purchase orders on the petroleum products, delivery receipts, sales invoices, and other related documents on the purchases of the petroleum products covering the period of January 2003 to December 2003.?

But Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera argued that the Manila RTC cannot order the BIR, the BoC, and the CoA to conduct the audit of the multinational oil companies.

Devanadera further argued that it is not within the mandates of the three government agencies to audit private entities.