MANILA, Philippines -- The militant transport group Piston (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or United Organizations of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) belittled the “measly” oil price rollback by the so-called “Big 3” oil companies and sought a congressional inquiry.

In a statement Tuesday, Piston secretary general George San Mateo said both the House of Representative and Senate should intervene and investigate the oil price cuts of the major oil players.

On Tuesday, Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corp. and Chevron cut their gasoline, diesel and kerosene prices by P0.50 per liter.

But San Mateo said that, based on the average pump price of Dubai crude last December, local diesel and gasoline prices should be only around P25 per liter.

“Walang maaasahan ang mga drivers at mamamayan kay Pangulong [Gloria Macapagal-]Arroyo na patuloy sa pagkapit sa pagpapanatili sa Oil Deregulation Law gayundin sa 12 percent VAT [value added tax] sa langis na siyang dalawang grabeng pahirap sa tsuper at mamamayan [The drivers and people cannot hope for anything from President Arroyo who continues to cling to the Oil Deregulation Law and the 12 percent VAT on oil products that are the two greatest causes of hardship for the drivers and the people],” San Mateo said.

“Bagamat mahigit 75 percent na ang ibinaba ng langis sa world market, 50 percent pa lang ang ibinababa nito sa local pump price, at ito ay nagaganap dahil sa pag-iral ng oil deregulation [Despite the 75 percent drop in the price of oil in the world market, local pump prices have gone down only 50 percent, and this is because of the continuation of oil deregulation],” he said.