MANILA – Department of Finance (DOF) assistant secretary Tony Lambino on Sunday said oil companies that implement the second tranche of fuel excise tax on their products which are part of their 2018 inventory may be ordered closed.
In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Lambino said oil companies may only implement the excise taxes when all of their inventories in 2018 have been exhausted.
“Kung talagang hindi ka sumunod sa batas, may administrative sanctions katulad ng pagpapasara ng negosyo, pagbawi po du’n sa license,” Lambino said.
“Pwede rin pong criminal ‘yung liabilities, katulad ng sa estafa. Kaya sana po inaasahan talaga natin na lahat naman po ay susunod,” he continued.
According to Lambino, gasoline stations are currently being monitored strictly.
The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday tasked six fuel retail stations to explain why they implemented the second round of fuel excise tax increase for 2019 even before their stock of 2018 petroleum products have supposedly been consumed.
Fuel retailers are not allowed to use the new excise tax rates on their 2018 inventory even if the second round of excise tax increase took effect on Tuesday, Jan. 1.
Meanwhile, Lambino advised motorists to report gasoline stations selling products at suspicious prices.
“Puwede namang mag-report sa Facebook ng DOF kapag may napansin kayong medyo alanganin at ipapasa naman natin ‘yan sa kaukulang ahensiya, in this case, sa DOE,” he said
Last week, DOE clarified that oil companies should not implement the second tranche of fuel excise tax on old stocks obtained in 2018, saying that it should be implemented only on new stocks procured in 2019. (GMA News)
