The government is intensifying its crackdown on oil price manipulation, with the Department of Energy (DOE) warning of legal action against retailers that hoard supplies or inflate prices ahead of an expected “big-time” fuel hike next week.

Following reports of irregularities from the DOE’s Cebu field office, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told reporters that any price adjustments beyond legitimate market fluctuations were “inhumane and anti-Filipino.”

Monitoring teams in Cebu earlier identified gasoline stations that had unilaterally raised prices, while other operators allegedly refused to sell products to motorists, a practice often used to preserve inventory for sale at higher future prices.

The government is prepared to police all gasoline stations to ensure players do not take advantage of the public's suffering, Garin said.

She added that the DOE is “coming strong” to intervene in the market and protect consumers from unfair trade practices.

Under Republic Act No. 7581, also known as the Price Act, the hoarding and profiteering of kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas are classified as illegal acts of price manipulation. Violators face penalties ranging from substantial administrative fines to imprisonment.

Furthermore, the DOE cited Presidential Decree No. 1865, which provides the legal framework to penalize supply disruptions, short selling, adulteration, and overpricing. This decree allows for the immediate confiscation of petroleum products found to be part of illegal stockpiling.

To enforce these mandates, the DOE is coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to conduct inspections and arrest violators. The inter-agency effort comes as the country braces for significant price volatility driven by global market shifts.

On the supply side, the government is exploring strategic reserves to cushion the impact on the transport and industrial sectors.

Rino Abad, director of the Oil Industry Management Bureau, disclosed that the agency is weighing a plan to source one million barrels of diesel to mitigate potential shortages. This procurement would be managed in coordination with the state-run Philippine National Oil Co.

The DOE is urging the public to report suspicious activity through the Oil Industry Management Bureau, the Consumer Welfare and Promotions Office, or the 8888 government hotline.