Police in Talisay City, southern Cebu expressed concern over the sudden stoppage of fuel allocation.
Supt. Resty Santos, officer-in-charge of the Talisay City Police Station, said they discovered that the fuel allocation was stopped when they went to a Shell gas station to refuel Tuesday night.
Santos said they were turned down by the gas station due to unsettled bills.
Santos said the stoppage of the fuel allocation will affect the police’s operations especially their ability to respond to emergencies.
Talisay Mayor Johnny V. Delos Reyes explained that fuel allocation was stopped after he did not renew the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city government and Shell gas station.
JVR said the Commission on Audit questioned the MOA in the previous agreement.
According to JVR, aside from the Value Added Tax (VAT), the fuel supplier also charged an additional six percent for every transaction.
JVR said he did not renew the MOA after the fuel supplier failed to provide an acceptable explanation for the additional charge.
“Kay dili man sila ka esplikar aw wa nalang nako sila gi-renew ug mukuha ko ug laing supplier kay kahibaw naman tang sayup nganung ato pa mang padayunon (They couldn’t explain so I decided not to renew the agreement and I decided to look for another supplier. Why would we continue it when it is wrong), ” JVR said.
Yesterday morning, JVR met with representatives of the BSG gasoline station beside Talisay City Hall. He said the management is willing to forge a deal with the city government.
JVR added he would consult with the city legal office to check the legality of the additional six percent charge.
JVR said the previous transaction made by the previous administration will be checked.
The non-renewal of the MOA is also affecting the functions of other government offices.
Edwin Nierves, head of the Solid Waste Management, also complained that their garbage trucks were disallowed to gas up by their fuel supplier.
Nierves said only four of the 12 garbage trucks are working which affects the collection of garbage.
Nierves said the Talisaynons will definitely complain if garbage will not be properly collected.
Nieves said his office had to ask the help of some barangays with garbage trucks to help in the collection of garbage.