SC nixes creation of energy courts

The Supreme Court has denied the request of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes for the creation of “special energy courts” to handle cases of irregularities in the energy sector.

In his Oct. 19, 2007 letter to the Court, Reyes said the proposed special courts could prosecute and try cases to include alleged anomalies in the pricing of oil and petroleum products, hoarding of petroleum products, including liquefied petroleum gas, and could even look at the high cost of electricity.

Reyes proposed that the special courts should have judges who have technical expertise in dealing with matters related to the energy sector.

“The Court resolved, upon recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator, to deny the request of Secretary Angelo T. Reyes of the Department of Energy, to designate special energy courts,” the Court said in its one-page ruling.

In its Nov. 22, 2007 resolution, the Court referred Reyes’ letter to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) that then studied the feasibility of having special energy courts.     – Mike Frialde