The Philippine government has filed charges against 54 gasoline stations for allegedly increasing fuel prices amid tensions in the Middle East. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the announcement. Castro warned businesses against taking advantage of the situation, stating that the government will not hesitate to act against those found profiteering. "To the people, you should not take advantage of this. It's getting more and more," she said. In a separate interview, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the agency is preparing to file cases against the gasoline stations involved. She said authorities have received reports of some fuel retailers allegedly hoarding supplies or refusing to sell while waiting for fuel prices to increase. "The bad thing is that some are hoarding or other gas stations are waiting for prices to go up and are unwilling to sell. Those are the ones we will sue and will be closed by the DOE. What they are doing is unfair, it's a disservice to the country or to our countrymen," Garin said. Garin added that the number of gasoline stations facing charges could still increase as monitoring continues. "Actually, as of now, we have already filed charges against 54 gasoline stations. If you are taking advantage, you will be in trouble. What the President wants is for us to help each other," Garin said.
