MANILA, Philippines — Anti-oil cartel crusader and Social Justice Society (SJS) Spokesperson Vladimir Cabigao wants to know if local oil firms also committed “booboos” in past weeks when jacking up their fuel prices. Cabigao, citing the sudden price hike reversal of some oil firms this Holy Week, casted doubt if the companies have really been honest or have implemented the rightful increments with their weekly price movements.
“Ang tanong, paano yung mga nakaraang price hike? Hindi kaya sobra-sobra din iyon? (The question is, what about the previous price hikes? Were they also excessive?)” the lawyer asked.
The Department of Energy (DoE), it was recalled, sought an explanation from oil companies noting that the price increases made on gasoline and diesel last Tuesday were some P0.30 over their projected increase for the week.
The next day, Chevron Philippines (formerly Caltex) enforced a price cut that took back its earlier price hike, centavo-by-centavo. Pilipinas Shell, another oil firm that raised prices, said afterward that it would match its competitors’ pump prices.
Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin
