Gabriela members throw used slippers at Shell office to protest high pump prices

MANILA, Philippines - Members of militant women’s group Gabriela on Monday threw used slippers at the the office of a major oil company in Makati to protest high oil prices. A report aired over radio dzXL said Gabriela members threw the slippers at the Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. main office along Valero Street in Makati City. The group said the poor are now resorting to walking because they can no longer afford high fare rates due to the increase in oil prices. The report also quoted Gabriela members as saying the P1.50 rollback in oil prices on Sunday midnight is another indication of the administration and oil companies’ deception of the public because the rollback was made a day after diesel prices were raised by P3. Gabriela alleged that the government is not putting an end to the oil price hikes when it could because it wants a bigger “kickback" from oil companies, said the report. The group also called for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law and the value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum. Security guards and personnel from the Makati City Police were on standby but did not interfere during the group’s program. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV