Ka Leody calls out rivals over fuss on who first proposed fuel excise tax freeze

FILE PHOTO: Labor leader Leody de Guzman, chair of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino. (Photo from his Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — Socialist Ka Leody de Guzman on Thursday called out his rivals in the 2022 presidential race for making a big issue about who first suggested the suspension of excise tax on petroleum products amid rising fuel prices.

In a tweet, de Guzman stressed that fighting for the interest of the masses should not only come during election season.

“Hindi unahan sa pagtanggal ng excise tax, o kung galing Forbes Park o Tondo,” De Guzman wrote on Twitter, apparently referring to Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagosoand  Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“Ilaban ninyo ang masa hindi lang kapag kampanyahan na,” he also said.

(Fight for the masses not only during campaign season.)

De Guzman’s remarks came after Moreno, a former actor, and Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, respectively proposed to reduce and suspend the excise tax on fuel.

Aksyon Demokratiko chairperson Ernest Ramel issued a statement on Thursday claiming that Moreno first suggested the idea and that Marcos Jr. merely copied the local chief executive’s proposal. Ramel pointed out that the defeated 2016 vice-presidential candidate released his statement on the excise tax only a few hours after Moreno did during a town hall meeting in Tarlac City earlier Thursday.

For Moreno, taxes on petroleum products should be slashed by half while Marcos Jr. urged for its suspension.

As if mocking his rivals, de Guzman pinned a “receipt” – which is a link to an INQUIRER.net story – to his tweet showing that he has already called for the suspension of excise tax on fuel in 2020.

Hindi unahan sa pagtanggal ng excise tax, o kung galing Forbes Park o Tondo. Ilaban ninyo ang masa hindi lang kapag kampanyahan na. Eto o, resibo: https://t.co/WdMqN1j4pR

— Ka Leody de Guzman (@LeodyManggagawa) October 21, 2021

KGA