Rep. Mike Defensor of Anakalusugan party-list on Thursday urged leaders of Congress to recommend to President Duterte the calling of the legislature to a special session to approve bills that would suspend excise taxes on oil products.
Defensor said Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Senate President Vicente Sotto lll should endorse to the President the proposal of party-list colleagues Mikee Romero of
1-Pacman and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna for the holding of a special session.
“I support the proposal of my colleagues. We have to act fast to provide relief to our people in the wake of soaring gas prices, which have now increased by more than P20 per liter due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightening tensions between Russia and Ukraine and
its western allies,” he said.
He said Congress should not wait for street protests and threats of crippling transport and labor strikes before suspending or scrapping fuel taxes to bring down the pump prices of petroleum products.
“We don’t have control over the worsening situation in Russia-Ukraine, but we certainly have control over the taxes we have imposed on our people,” Defensor stressed.
He added that no one wishes a shooting war in eastern Europe, “but if fighting erupts, that will surely send the price of crude oil in the world market and fuel prices skyrocketing.”
He noted that tensions have already caused the cost of crude oil to soar to almost $100 per barrel from $60 last year.
“What do we do if the price of oil hits $120-$130 per barrel and domestic fuel prices breach P100 per liter?” he asked.
He pointed out that he is addressing his appeal to Velasco and Sotto because under the Constitution, it is the President who has the power to convene Congress to a special session any time during its adjournment.
“President Duterte may be waiting for what our leaders in Congress have to say on the proposed special session to reduce oil taxes and fuel prices. After all, it was the legislature that imposed and even increased these levies,” Defensor added.
Defensor has authored House Bill No. 10411, which calls for the suspension of the increase in oil levies under the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law up to Dec. 31, 2024.
He said he would push for the approval of his bill, “but I am open to supporting another measure that would substantially cut oil taxes and the pump prices of petroleum products.”
At least two senators-Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senator Manny Pacquaio – have supported the proposed oil tax suspension.
Defensor said shelving fuel levies would bring down pump prices by P6 per liter for diesel, P10 for gasoline, P5 for kerosene, and P33 per 11-kilogram cylinder for liquefied petroleum gas.