Parañaque Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan is spearheading a legislative push to impose significantly harsher penalties on individuals involved in fuel hoarding, overpricing, and other illegal activities related to petroleum products. He has introduced House Bill No. 8616, which seeks to protect consumers from unscrupulous businesses exploiting oil crises for excessive profits.
Strengthening Consumer Protections
According to Yamsuan, such acts of greed should not be tolerated, especially during times when citizens are struggling due to persistent increases in oil prices. The congressman hopes for swift passage of the bill by Congress to serve as a stern warning to violators. This initiative follows intensified operations by the Department of Energy (DOE) against fuel hoarding, aimed at preventing artificial supply shortages and price hikes for gasoline and diesel.
Increased Penalties Under the Proposal
Under the proposed legislation, penalties would be substantially raised. The current imprisonment terms of 2 to 5 years would escalate to 5 to 15 years, while fines would increase from PHP 20,000–PHP 50,000 to PHP 50,000–PHP 300,000. Prohibited activities include illegal trading, adulteration, underfilling, hoarding, overpricing, and misuse of petroleum allocations.
Reports indicate that the DOE has received dozens of complaints regarding excessively high oil prices, with several gas stations temporarily closing due to supply shortages. Additionally, numerous cases have already been filed in connection with these violations.
A Call for Accountability
"We must not allow such greed and exploitation to go unchecked during the crises our fellow citizens are enduring. Our proposed legislation seeks to substantially increase the penalties imposed under the current law owing to the abhorrent nature of these crimes," Yamsuan stated. This move underscores a broader effort to ensure accountability and safeguard public welfare in the face of economic challenges.
