Shell asks court to dismiss case

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC) has asked the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to dismiss the amended petition filed by the consumer group Social Justice Society (SJS) against the three major oil companies in the Philippines. Shell also filed a Php3-million (US$63,150) compulsory counterclaim against the group. PSPC denied the allegation by SJS that an increase in the prices of petroleum products by one of the respondents is inevitably followed by a similar increase by the other respondents, and that the respondents are abusing their rights to make a profit. (August 10, 2009)