PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will formally request Congress on Monday to grant him emergency powers to reduce the excise tax on petroleum products amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, a Palace official said Sunday (New York time).
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Energy (DOE) will make the request on behalf of the President.
“Nakikipag-ugnayan sila at ang panawagan pong ito ay gagawin sa Lunes na,” said Castro, who accompanied the President in his working visit to New York.
The President earlier expressed his intention to exercise emergency powers to cut the excise tax on petroleum products if oil prices reach or exceed US$80 per barrel.
At the same time, Malacañang warned profiteers seizing the opportunity to jack up oil prices that the law will go after them for their fraudulent actions.
“Ang panawagan ng Pangulo ay magkaisa tayo kung ano ang nangyayari po ngayon sa Middle East. Dapat tayo magkaisa at magtulungan. Hindi tayo kinakailangang maghatakan pababa,” Castro said.
“At sa mga tao, hindi dapat kayo magsamantala. Ang gusto ng Pangulo ay magtulungan tayo. Kapag kayo ay nagsamantala, meron kayong kalalagyan. Kayo ay madedemanda at maaaring matanggalan kayo ng pagkakataon na kayo ay makapagnegosyo.”
According to Castro, the DOE issued a show-cause order to 54 gas stations to determine whether they violated the guidelines on oil price adjustments.
“Kasi kapag napakita rito na sila ay may mga fraudulent acts, maaari silang makansela ng permit sa kanilang mga transaksyon,” she said.
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