MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice has approved the filing of a criminal case against officers of the LPG Marketers Association, including party-list Rep. Arnel Ty, for their cartel-like behavior.
The 10-page resolution, released last Friday, authorized the filing of a criminal case against nine LPGMA officers for violating the anti-cartel provisions of the Revised Penal Code and RA 8479, or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998.
Those to be charged are Ty, Danilo Chua, Alison Sy, Rene Rosell, Ronnie Sevillana, Mar Dave Tang, Virginia Cid, Bonifacio Eleria, and Antonio del Rosario.
According to Federation of Philippine Industries chair Jesus Arranza, who filed the complaint against LPGMA with the DOJ, this move showed the business sector the Aquino administration’s seriousness in ensuring a level-playing field for all businesses.
“Along with President Benigno Aquino III’s order creating the Competition Authority under DOJ’s supervision, the elevation in court of probably the first ever cartel case will give local and foreign investors the confidence that the Philippine government wants all businessmen here to behave properly for the benefit of the Filipino consumers,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
No matter the result of the case, he said it would enrich jurisprudence on cartel-like behavior and help with the decision of future cases.
Reacting to allegations that he was pushed by the so-called Big 3 – Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Chevron Philippines Inc. – to file the case, Arranza said this was nothing but a case of character assassination.
The country’s three biggest oil companies are members of FPI.
“This diversionary tactic is a sign of weakness on LPGMA’s part. The case at hand involves the violation of specific criminal laws so it is imperative that they should confine their arguments on their legal defenses and not resort to character attacks,” Arranza said.
He further related that it had always been part of his own personal advocacy to fight business behavior that went against the interest of consumers and the business community as a whole.
His filing of a case against LPGMA, he said, was “not an isolated case.”