Reyes acting as spokesman for oil firms -- Escudero
By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:57:00 07/11/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Friday slammed Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes for acting like a virtual “spokesperson” of Petron, Shell and Chevron-Caltex instead of protecting the public interest in the face of the unabated increases in fuel pump prices.
“What is saddening is that our own Secretary of the Department of Energy has sounded like a spokesperson for the giant oil companies. They speak the same things and they just echo each other’s thoughts,” said Escudero in an interview with reporters.
Escudero was irked by Reyes’ declaration that he favored a one-time large increase in oil prices instead of the current practice of piecemeal price adjustments.
“A one-time increase of P10 per liter? Ordinary Filipinos might not be able to shoulder that. If he thinks that this is good because it will jolt Filipinos to market realities, well, I have news for Secretary Reyes -- the people have long been wide awake on these things,” said Escudero.
“What we need to wake up are people in government who are feigning sleep and who think that they must serve the interest of businessmen rather than the needy,” he said.
Escudero said Reyes should be reminded that he is in government to serve the public and not the three giant oil companies.
Escudero noted that it has been six months since Reyes was appointed to replace Raphael Lotilla.
He recalled that Reyes had declared in a press conference that he would scrutinize the pricing of oil companies and meet with players in the oil industry. “Up to now, I have not seen any results in any of their meetings that were supposed to push for a lowering instead of increasing oil prices,” said Escudero.
Escudero said it was the responsibility of the DOE to confirm the oil companies’ justification for their price increases, particularly on whether the adjustments would not exceed the amount they need to recover from the increase in world crude oil prices.
“That is the only thing they can do under the Oil Deregulation Law. I just don’t know if they are doing their job,” said Escudero.
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