Palace on bid to suspend oil excise tax: Wait for result of Duterte-DOF talks

Malacañang on Wednesday advised the public to wait for the outcome of the discussion between President Rodrigo Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, and the Department of Finance about the proposed suspension of excise tax on fuel.

In an interview, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar was asked for comments on the statement of Senator Franklin Drilon that the DOF can suspend the excise tax without action from Congress, and if the Palace will orders the department to do so. 

Andanar said he cannot precede the decision of Duterte and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on the matter and noted that the DOF already suggested measures to ease the impact of the series of fuel price hikes in the country.

“Of course yung sa excise tax, that's also part of the discussion, pero hintayin natin kung ano ang mga lalabas na pag-uusap ng Office ni Executive Secretary Medialdea, DOF, Pangulong Duterte kasi kailangan talagang balansehin ang mga nangyayari ngayon,” he said.

(Of course, excise tax was also part of the discussion, but we should wait for the outcome of the discussion of Executive Secretary Medialdea, DOF, and President Duterte because we need to balance what’s happening now).

Asked if there is no final decision yet on the proposed suspension of excise tax on oil, Andanar said it is the President who will decide on recommendations.

On Tuesday, the Palace said it is studying the possible declaration of a state of economic emergency in light of the impact of the series of fuel price hikes and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Asked about specific situations that would result in the declaration of an economic emergency such as reaching a certain threshold for fuel price,  Andanar said it would require a meeting among Cabinet members.

“It will require the full Cabinet and it will require the security cluster, the economic cluster to convene on this. And of course, the President will be the one who would chair this meeting…Well, it’s not yet happening,” he said. —LBG, GMA News