Aksyon chair: Bongbong’s call for oil tax suspension ‘idea theft’ from Isko

The chairperson of Aksyon Demokratiko slammed presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for calling for the suspension of the excise tax on fuel products after Manila Mayor Isko Moreno vowed to make tax cuts on oil products if he wins in next year's elections.

Moreno is the standard bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko for Eleksyon 2022.

"There is no doubt that Marcos committed 'idea theft' from Mayor Isko. This is similar to a rich kid from Forbes Park stealing the 'term paper' of a poor but smart kid from the slums of Tondo," Ernest Ramel said in a press statement issued Thursday.

"It seems that thievery and fakery is in the blood of the Marcoses. Fake war medals of Senior. Fake diploma from Oxford of Junior," he added.

GMA News Online has reached for Marcos' camp for comment but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

Moreno promised that he would cut the excise tax on petroleum products by 50% if he wins the presidential elections next year. Aside from that, a separate 50% cut on electricity will also be implemented.

He mentioned this during a dialogue with some farmers in Tarlac City.

Marcos, for his part, issued a statement urging Congress' to suspend the excise tax on oil products to help the transport sector as, according to him, this would cut gasoline price by P10 per liter and diesel products by P6 per liter.

Through this, Marcos said the price of kerosene will go down by P5 per liter while the price of LPG will be cut by P3 per kilogram.

Ramel then claimed that Marcos' statement was issued hours after the media carried and reported about Moreno's pronouncement.

Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said his department is discussing with the Department of Finance  “the possibility to suspend excise tax for the meantime,” however, this needs new legislation. — BM, GMA News