LIGAN speaks in a March 9 press conference. (Tara Yap)
ILOILO CITY – The Police Regional Office-6 said Monday that one gasoline station in Western Visayas is under investigation for alleged price manipulation.
“There’s a gas station in Roxas City that increased prices without approval from the DOE,” said PRO-6 Director Police Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan in a press conference on Monday, March 9.
Ligan said police can only put the alleged exuberant price increase on record as the Philippine National Police (PNP) awaits guidelines from the Department of Energy (DOE).
The PRO-6 is conducting oil price monitoring in Western Visayas as it assists the DOE in investigating oil profiteering and hoarding due to the war in the Middle East.
The order has been cascaded to police chiefs in the province of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo as well as the regional capital Iloilo City.
Ligan assured that they will do their part to safeguard the public from oil profiteering.
DOE Secretary Sharon S. Garin, who was in her native Iloilo last week, reiterated that gas companies and stations are only allowed to implement price increases every Tuesday.
Garin considered price profiteering as “immoral” as Filipinos are reeling from the impact of the oil hike price in the global market due to the conflict.