|
THE Department of Energy (DOE) should inspect the
books of oil firm, Sen. Mar Roxas urged yesterday even as he prodded
the new Senate leadership to call for a full investigation into why
domestic oil prices are very expensive despite recent sharp drops in
world crude oil prices.
“Hindi natin kailangang maging
siyentipiko para makitang ang laki ng agwat sa presyo noon at sa
presyo ngayon. Ang tingin tuloy ng marami ay harap-harapang
panloloko na ito [We don’t have to be scientists to see the large
discrepancy between petroleum prices then and now. As a result, the
perception is that this is an outright exploitation of the
public],” he said.
“It’s time for the Senate to
hear an explanation from the oil firms and the Department of Energy
[DOE],” Roxas added.
Asia Dubai crude prices now
ranges around $55 a barrel, or half the peak price of $112.86 a
barrel just in August. In contrast, the price of unleaded gasoline
sold at retail pump stations is P41.96 a liter, a price reduction of
only P13 a liter from the peak price of P54.96 a liter in August.
“It doesn’t match and we
won’t tolerate price cheating,” the senator from Capiz said.
“With this crisis, the one consolation is the lowering of prices
of goods. But with oil, there’s no relief.”
Roxas reiterated the need for the
DOE to exercise its visitorial powers, as granted by the Oil
Deregulation Law, and inspect the books of oil companies to see if
their prices are justified.
|
