Rowegie Abanto

Motorists queue for fuel at a gas station in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Motorists queue for fuel at a gas station in Pasig City on October 10, 2022, a day before a new round of oil price hike takes effect. Diesel prices is forecast to increase by P6 to P6.85 per liter, gasoline prices at P1.20 to P1.40 per liter, and kerosene prices by P3.50 to P3.70 per liter. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FUEL PRICE HIKE

Eon Sanchez

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177301970888120221010-oil-price-hike-MD--11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Motorists queue for fuel at a gas station in Pasig City. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>3rd</strong><strong> UPDATE</strong>) — The Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday said it is issuing or preparing show-cause orders against at least 54 gas stations nationwide that are allegedly taking advantage of looming major oil price hikes this week, triggered by the war in the Middle East.</p><p>The DOE has been receiving reports of alleged hoarding and profiteering, mostly from Luzon and some from Visayas and Mindanao, as the country <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/9/ltfrb-to-revise-proposed-provisional-fare-increase-1120">braces for soaring fuel prices</a>.</p><p>&quot;If gasoline stations refuse to sell because some of them are waiting for the prices to go up, that&#x27;s not allowed,&quot; Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told ANC, noting that the country has &quot;enough supply&quot; of oil products for around eight weeks.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/8/fuel-supply-runs-low-in-some-qc-gas-stations-amid-rush-before-oil-price-hike-2013">Fuel supply runs low in some QC gas stations amid rush before oil price hike</a></div><p>&quot;We don&#x27;t allow hoarding, we don&#x27;t allow unreasonable increases in prices, that&#x27;s a violation of the directive of the Department of Energy,&quot; she said.<br/><br/></p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:524px;height:632px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2030815240397668570&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-03-09T00%3A47%3A04.587720%3A9eec0fd0-5c15-4eec-a9ac-dfaa8036efb0%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=a8824cf322c2cacd2fabd2d778b32aabe80461ff&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="2030815240397668570"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Energy Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella said the agency on Monday inspected gas stations located in Pasig City and Fairview, Quezon City.</p><p>They were told to explain within 24 hours their alleged implementation of fuel price increases ahead of the scheduled adjustment set for Tuesday, he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/9/palace-warns-business-owners-amid-surging-fuel-prices-meron-po-kayong-kalalagyan-0837">Palace warns business owners vs overpricing: &#x27;Meron po kayong kalalagyan’</a></div><p>A gas station in Pasig City increased the price of diesel from P51.98 per liter to P79.30, which is a 54.71-percent adjustment, according to details in the show-cause order.</p><p>Another station in Fairview, Quezon City, allegedly raised its diesel price from P49.76 to P71 per liter, an increase of approximately 42.68 percent.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/6/what-s-the-difference-between-excise-tax-and-vat-and-why-we-pay-both-1309">What&#x27;s the difference between excise tax and VAT - and why we pay both</a></div><p>Fuentebella said gas station owners may face administrative or criminal cases and could see their permits canceled for the alleged violations.</p><p>He also stressed that the government retains authority to protect consumers despite the country&#x27;s oil deregulation policy.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PNP WARNING</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday warned that individuals involved in hoarding fuel supplies or manipulating oil prices could face arrest as authorities intensify monitoring of gas stations across the country.</p><p>PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police units nationwide have been ordered to include gasoline stations in their routine patrols following a request for assistance from DOE.</p><p>&quot;Our intelligence units are monitoring warehouses for possible hoarding and other similar illegal activities. We will arrest anyone caught illegally withholding supply to spike prices,&quot; Nartatez said in a statement.</p><p>The PNP chief said around 14,000 gasoline stations nationwide will be covered by the enhanced police visibility operations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/6/sustained-spike-in-oil-prices-not-likely-amid-high-global-inventories-says-fitch-ratings-2028">Sustained spike in oil prices not likely amid high global inventories, says Fitch Ratings</a></div><p>He added that the PNP will also establish coordination protocols with the DOE to help monitor oil prices and respond to complaints from motorists regarding alleged unfair or unreasonable pricing, especially in the provinces.</p><p>Nartatez said territorial units, along with national support units such as the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, PNP Maritime Group, and PNP Highway Patrol Group, have also been tasked to conduct operations against possible hoarding activities.</p><p>&quot;The government exists to strike a balance between the interests of the business sector and the protection and welfare of the consumers. We in the Philippine National Police will make sure that it goes that way amid the effects of the situation in the Middle East,&quot; Nartatez said. </p><p>The PNP has also coordinated with the Department of Trade and Industry and local government units to conduct spot checks on retailers to verify compliance with the DOE&#x27;s &quot;no price change&quot; order until Tuesday.</p><p>In a press briefing on Monday, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño clarified that police officers will focus on gathering evidence, while the DOE will determine whether violations have been committed.</p><p>“I-identify ng miyembro ng PNP kung may violation or hindi, sapagkat sila ay kakalap ng mga ebidensya. Halimbawa magre-record ng mga prices at ito ay ibibigay sa DOE at sila ang magde-determine kung may paglabag,” Tuaño said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NORMAL OPERATIONS<br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tuaño also clarified that law enforcement agencies will not be included in the government’s four-day work week arrangement amid rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.</p><p>He said Malacañang made it clear that law enforcement units such as the PNP and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) must continue normal operations, including administrative personnel, because their roles are essential to the agency’s functions.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/6/marcos-jr-announces-temporary-4-day-work-week-for-gov-t-offices-1834">Marcos Jr. announces temporary 4-day work week in several gov’t offices</a></div><p>As part of energy conservation efforts, Tuaño said the PNP will avoid unnecessary travel and implement electricity-saving measures in offices, such as turning off lights during non-working hours.</p><p>However, he stressed that these measures should not affect the delivery of police services to the public.</p><p>Police patrols and operations will also continue as usual.</p><p>“Diyan papasok ang tinatawag nating mga crime prone areas, crime prone dates, crime prone time na kung saan ginagamit ‘yan ng PNP para alam nila ‘yung specific oras kung anong oras sila magpa-patrol base na rin sa naging record or datos ng kanilang mga crime incidents.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D4Ghy7Y2dFQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/icDev9rwFaI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Department of Energy on Monday said it is issuing or preparing show-cause orders against at least 54 gas stations nationwide that are allegedly taking advantage of looming major oil price hikes this week.</p>

The Department of Energy on Monday said it is issuing or preparing show-cause orders against at least 54 gas stations nationwide that are allegedly taking advantage of looming major oil price hikes this week.

DOE issues show-cause orders vs gas stations over alleged violations amid looming price hikes

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DOE issues show-cause orders vs gas stations over alleged violations amid looming price hikes

Rowegie Abanto,

Eon Sanchez,

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 09, 2026 09:40 AM PHT

|

Updated March 09, 2026 03:44 PM PHT

Read More:

Oil

Gas

Oil Price Hike

Fuel

Gas Station

Hoarding

Department of Energy

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