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Malacanang Took Advantage of Nation's Preoccupation with Angelo de la Cruz
by Anakpawis
Tuesday, Jul. 27, 2004 at 3:17 PM
"President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went behind the people's back and took sneaky advantage of the nation's worry and preoccupation with the safety of overseas Filipino worker Angelo de la Cruz to finalize and sign this infamous executive order," raged Anakpawis Re. Crispin Beltran.
Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today expressed strong indignation against what he termed as Malacanang's "treachery" and "sneakiness" in signing an executive order imposing an increase in oil taxes on crude and refined petroleum products from 5 percent to 3 percent.
"President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went behind the people's back and took sneaky advantage of the nation's worry and preoccupation with the safety of overseas Filipino worker Angelo de la Cruz to finalize and sign this infamous executive order," raged Beltran.
He said that that the attempts of Energy secretary Vincent Perez to make the added tax imposition sound justified and less burdensome does not wash. "Perez and Malacanang are insulting the intelligence of consumers and the public!" he said. Perez said that the across-the-board two-basis point increase in taxes on the products will not start until there's a 'downtrend' in oil prices.
"Who the hell is Perez kidding?! The Energy Department is one with the oil and petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) and the local oil cartel in saying that oil prices are on a continued upswing. When can we expect oil prices do go down? Only when OPEC and the global oil monopolies decide among themselves to bring them down, and they hardly ever decide to do so," he said. "These oil taxes Mrs. Arroyo has imposed are as sure as implemented today."
Beltran demanded that the energy department and the National Economic and development Authority (NEDA) immediately issue guidelines regarding the tax levy. "And immediately, because we have to determine the surest way to demand to the scrapping of this executive order," he said. He raged anew against Malacanang's explanation for the new EO: that it was necessary because it will generate additional revenues of P4.4 billion for the government.
"At the onset it looks like it will be the oil companies that will be carrying this new tax burden; but inevitably, it will be the consumers who will be forcd to shoulder it. As sure as it rains in July, the oil cartel will pass on these taxes to consumers and the public.
Perez himself has admitted that once implemented, the EO will result in an increase of P0.25 centavos/liter on local pump prices of all affected oil products.
Beltran said that Anakpawis will file a case in the Supreme Court questioning this new EO and demand its immediate scrapping.
"Only yesterday during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) President Arroyo called on the High Court to continue its service to the people and help in the struggle against government corruption. This is a better fight that will immediately benefit the Filipino people and the nation: the High Court should question this EO and decide in favor of the people. It's unfair and immoral that the Filipino people should be made to carry heavier tax burdens because the government cannot reign in its corruption and strop its own subservience to foreign multilateral finance agencies which it wants to pay even at the expense of the local economy and the people's welfare;" he said.
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