A CHURCH-BASED group yesterday joined calls for the Commission on Audit to scrutinize the books of the Big 3 oil players, saying any investigation to be conducted by the executive department will amount to nothing.

Fr. Joe Dizon, convener of Solidarity Philippines, said there has been abuse of discretion by the oil companies which have been increasing oil prices since January, "and the government is just standing there doing nothing."

"The government looks helpless about it because Arroyo is gaining much on every price hike of oil products through the value added tax," he said.

On Monday, Rep. Roilo Golez called on COA to investigate possible collusion among Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Chevron Philippines in manipulating the retail prices of crude products.

A task force composed of officials from the justice and energy departments has begun its own probe as ordered by Malacañang.

Dizon said his group also supports lifting of the 12 percent VAT on oil products and revoking the oil deregulation law.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said an audit of oil giants' books is more realistic than the supposed "moral persuasion" that Arroyo applied on Petron and Shell over the weekend that resulted in a rollback of diesel prices.

"It's time for government to intervene to check on possible exploitation and abuse by so-called businessmen whose only passion in life is profit," he said.

Lacson said a COA audit, along with the exercise of prosecutorial powers by the task force, is in accordance with the oil deregulation law.

In contrast, he said Arroyo's move betrayed her tendency to "intervene" only when her political survival is at stake.

"What we Filipino taxpayers and consumers need is a government that will protect us from abuse all the time, not only when its political survival is in danger," he said.