Bohol cartel manipulates fuel prices

TAGBILARAN CITY ,Philippines  – Pump prices of petroleum products (gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas) here in Bohol are rising to levels higher than those sold in other provinces.

Former Governor Victor de la Serna alleged that this was caused by a cartel of five or six businessmen in the province, manipulating the prices of these products.

One of the key players/oil distributors, who asked not to be named, however denied the allegation, and that this situation should be blamed instead on the big three companies.

On LPG, De la Serna also alleged, in an interview last Thursday at his home, that this product is also being controlled by at least three businessmen in the city.

The manipulation of oil prices is worse than the problem of drug abuse, he said, adding that all people are affected by high prices but not all are by illegal drugs.

De la Serna described the price manipulation as “extortion pricing” and this must be stopped, disclosing that he has been readying legal moves to penalize unscrupulous traders behind this.

Prices of gasoline and diesel are lower in Mindanao than in Bohol when Mindanao is farther away from Manila; and those of LPGs in other provinces like Cebu are lower by several pesos than those sold here, he said.

De la Serna bared that he would recommend to Governor Edgar Chatto for a drastic move to stop this price manipulation by a cartel in the province. “If Gov. Gwen Garcia of Cebu did it, why can’t Bohol,” he said.

One of the distributors here said he was amenable to copy what Cebu did against the oil companies, and that he thought of welcoming the small players or independent suppliers.

Dela Serna however said he disagreed with the idea that small players can lower the prices because they too can be manipulated by the bigger companies.