MANILA, Philippines – Militant transport group Piston will picket main office of oil firm Pilipinas Shell in Makati City today to protest the company’s alleged overpricing of the prices of its petroleum products.
Piston secretary general George San Mateo said they will stage a picket-rally in front of Shell’s head office around 11 a.m.
The group claimed Shell is part of the oil cartel that has been manipulating the prices of diesel and gasoline in the country.
San Mateo said the prevailing prices of fuels in the provinces have already been a burden to transport workers.
"Prices of diesel and gasoline are very high in the provinces, especially in Ilocos. The same goes in Visayas and Mindanao," he said.
At present, the price of diesel in the National Capital Region is at P32.50 per liter while premium gasoline retails at P42.70 per liter.
The prevailing oil price is P2 to P7 higher in provinces such as Ilocos, Baguio, Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Surigao, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro, San Mateo said.
Aside from Shell, Piston had previously picketed the offices of Petron and Chevron. - By Dennis Carcamo
