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Metro Manila, Philippines – The long-awaited suspension of fuel excise taxes is finally happening—but the government has limited it to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene, leaving out diesel and gasoline whose soaring prices have burdened the transport sector and other industries. “Bakit inuna ‘yung suspension ng LPG and kerosene… Ang inaasahan ng publiko is diesel and gasoline [Why prioritize suspending LPG and kerosene? The public expected diesel and gasoline],” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked finance officials in a Senate hearing on Monday, April 13, shortly after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the policy.  The suspension corresponds to consumer savings of ₱3.36 per kilo of LPG and ₱5.60 per liter for kerosene. Gatchalian acknowledged that expanding the same policy to diesel and gasoline would have an impact on government revenues, but noted that the times call for such extraordinary action. In response, Finance Undersecretary Karlo Adriano explained that the policy-making Development…

Metro Manila, Philippines – It’s all systems go for the House justice committee to resume its impeachment hearing against Vice President Sara Duterte, with the investigation expected to feature key financial records and a witness seen as a potential ‘missing link’ in the corruption allegations. House Speaker Bojie Dy earlier said the proceedings – which Duterte challenged before the Supreme Court – would push through in the absence of a stay order. Here’s what to expect. Madriaga, confidential funds Key witness Ramil Madriaga, Duterte’s self-confessed bagman, is expected to testify for the first time.  Madriaga, who is now facing a perjury complaint, earlier claimed delivering duffle bags of cash to a number of people on Duterte’s orders – from money allegedly linked to confidential funds.  The House of Representatives vowed heightened security for Madriaga for his transport from his detention center in Taguig City to the Batsang Pambansa in Quezon…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Diesel prices for as low as ₱75 per liter would “take a couple of months” to happen even under an extended ceasefire in the Middle East, an energy official told lawmakers. Alessandro Sales, energy undersecretary, shared this assessment at the joint briefing of the House of Representatives about the government’s response to the Middle East crisis on Monday, April 13. He said under the “best case scenario where a long term agreement and cessation of hostilities is achieved,” diesel would settle at ₱75 to ₱90 per liter. “This will take a couple of months for the price to ease back to those levels. This will still be higher than our pre-crisis pricing and this is primarily due to structural damage in the Middle East in terms of facilities and the moving around of logistics to bring crude oil to the market,” he told lawmakers.  The DOE…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reduced excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by ₱3.36 per kilo and on kerosene by ₱5.60 per liter, as the government moves to ease the impact of rising fuel prices. The cuts were in line with Republic Act 12316, which grants the president authority to suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes when global oil prices reach a certain threshold. “Binawasan natin ang buwis sa produktong petrolyo na direktang ginagamit sa pang-araw-araw na buhay,” Marcos said.[Translation: We reduced taxes on petroleum products directly used in daily life.] The law, signed on March 25, allows the president to act when the average Dubai crude oil price reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel for one month, upon recommendation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee and in coordination with the Department of Energy. Any reduction or suspension may be applied for up to three…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The second gentleman turned to the court to prevent the subpoena of the House of Representatives to acquire his tax records for the impeachment hearing on April 14, a lawmaker said. On Monday, April 13, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, justice panel member, shared a copy of the petition filed by Manases Carpio with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. NewsWatch Plus cannot independently verify the document. In the petition, Carpio sought an executive three-day temporary restraining order and/or a 20-day stay order in enforcing the summons to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce records of his income tax returns from 2007 to 2025 and the Carpio Lawyers Law Firm, which is also a petitioner in the formal filing. He called the period covered by the request “exceedingly overstretched.” Carpio also wanted the court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction and declare the subpoena…