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Francisco Tatad vs Secretary of the Department of Energy

FRANCISCO S. TATAD, petitioner, vs. THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, respondents.

G.R. No. 124360 | 1997-11-05

EN BANC
D E C I S I O N
 
PUNO, J.:
 
The petitions at bar challenge the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 8180 entitled "An Act Deregulating the Downstream Oil Industry and For Other Purposes". R.A. No. 8180 ends twenty six (26) years of government regulation of the downstream oil industry. Few cases carry a surpassing importance on the life of every Filipino as these petitions for the upswing and downswing of our economy materially depend on the oscillation of oil.
 
First, the facts without the fat. Prior to 1971, there was no government agency regulating the oil industry other than those dealing...