Press Release
September 8, 2008

KIKO SLAMS INSENSITIVITY AND ARROGANCE OF BIG 3 OIL PLAYERS
"Support small oil players, boycott Big 3!"

Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today denounced the "insensitivity and arrogance" of the three biggest oil companies in the country "for the statement that they are not threatened by the boycott because the small oil players only constitute a small percentage of the entire market."

"It just reveals how these big players think," said Kiko, who last week backed calls by consumer and transport groups to boycott Shell, Caltex and Petron for failing to immediately reduce prices despite the recent cuts in world oil prices.

Kiko further slammed the Big 3 for saying that they felt betrayed because the small players failed to inform them of the decision to rollback prices last week. The Malaya today reported that an unnamed executive from one of the country's major oil companies revealed that it was "normal" for all players�big or small�to reach a consensus before any of them decides to reduce or increase prices of oil products.

"The executive who issued the statement should be fired because his statement just proves that oil companies are insensitive to the plight of the public and that all of them are conniving to dupe us," stressed Kiko.

"Kung totoo ang sinasabi sa report ng Malaya na ang mga big oil players ay (1) hindi apektado ng boykot dahil maliit lang ang volume ng mga maliliit na players at (2) na masama ang loob nila dahil di sumunod ang maliliit na kumpanya ng langis sa usapan na sabay sabay silang magpapatupad ng rollback ay patunay lang ng kanilang pagiging arogante at manhid sa sentimyento ng mga mamamayan Patunay lang ito na nagsasabwatan sila para manipulahin ang presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo. Patunay lamang na totoo nga ang matagal nang suspetsa ng publiko na may kartel nga ang mga kumpanya ng langis," said Kiko.

"Why should they agree on rolling back at the same time? Are they acting as a cartel? Are they pressuring the small players to kowtow to their monopolistic designs? Nais sana nating idaan sa mahinahon na paraan ang usapan. Pero mga duwag sila at nagtatago pa sa anonymity, at sa halip na maging patas ang mga big players, sila pa ang lumalabas na arogante. At base na rin mismo sa binitiwan nilang salita, nais pa nilang isama sa sabwatan ang maliliit na players. Mukhang kundi sila madadaan sa santong dasalan, kaya nararapat lamang na santong paspasan na ang gawing hakbang ng taumbayan."

"Bakit nag-uusap sila tungkol sa pagbaba ng presyo ng langis? Kung ito'y totoo, malinaw na ginagamit nila ang kanilang pagiging malaki upang pwersahin ang maliliit na players at gipitin ang mga consumer. Dapat ipatawag ang lahat ng mga oil players upang pagpaliwanagin sa nasabing statement na ito at hanggang 'di sila nakapagpapaliwanag ay iboykot pa rin ang mga big players. Dun na lang tayo sa maliliit magpakarga ng gasolina," Kiko ended.

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