Pilipinas Shell, Caltex & Petron should be punished!

Government should teach Pilipinas Shell, Caltex and Chevron a lesson. These giant oil companies showed arrogance in obeying a court ruling ordering the company to open its books. The company's counsels asked if the court has jurisdiction over them.

By the very fact that they are doing business here in the Philippines, they automatically subject themselves to the jurisdiction of our courts. If the courts say that this Dutch oil company open its books for public scrutiny, it should do so--without compunction.

If Pilipinas Shell would not oblige, then, they must leave this country and never come back. How dare they question our courts?! Same goes to Caltex and Petron. They should submit themselves to the jurisdiction of our courts.

Probably the problem lies in the lack of a law that would require them to submit their books to government scrutiny. In the US, all companies are required to follow the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which is a law obliging companies to open their accounts for reportage. They also have the US Government Accounting Office (GAO) which serves as the investigating arm of the government with regards to acts of private enterprises.

Are these 3 giant oil companies saying that they are above our government?

These acts are in direct contravention with the law and the very authority of this government. These oil companies not only committed a grave infraction---they also subverted the sovereign power of this government and the Filipino People.

What will Mrs. Arroyo do? Will she bow down to these giant oil companies or will she enforce the sovereignty of this government? This is a test case for Mrs. Arroyo.