House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio urged the Marcos administration to immediately clarify the Department of Energy’s announcement that around 329,000 barrels (52.311 million liters) of “state-procured” diesel from Malaysia have been delivered to the Philippines, after the Malaysian government thru its National Economic Action Council (Majilis Tindakan Ekonomi Negara – MTEN) as well as the Malaysian state oil firm Petronas reportedly issued statements denying it sold diesel to the Philippines or sent any shipment.
Malaysia’s National Economic Action Council (MTEN) has confirmed that the 329,000 barrels of diesel sent to the Philippines recently did not originate from Malaysia.
The MTEN Crisis Management Team, in a statement today, advised the Malaysian public not to speculate and to refer to official government sources.
“Ayon mismo sa gubyerno ng Malaysia at sa Petronas, wala raw silang binentang diesel mula sa Malaysia. Ang tanong: sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo – ang DOE o ang gubyerno ng Malaysia at Petronas? Meron ba talagang dumating na diesel? Saan nanggaling ito? Kanino bumili ang PNOC-EC? Dapat magpaliwanag si Sec. Garin.”
Tinio pointed out that the issue is particularly sensitive because Malaysia is also dealing with domestic fuel concerns, making public claims about exports politically delicate on their end. “Naglabas ng ganyang mga paglilinaw ang Malaysia dahil alam nilang magagalit ang kanilang mamamayan kung malamang nagbenta ang kanilang gubyerno ng diesel sa ibang bansa habang dumaranas din ng shortages ang Malaysia.”
“This is not a small discrepancy—it is a serious contradiction that raises questions about credibility, procurement transparency, and even our diplomatic relations,” Tinio said. “If DOE claims the diesel shipment came ‘from Malaysia,’ but the Malaysian government itself along with its own state oil company says no diesel was sold or shipped to the Philippines, then DOE Secretary Sharon Garin must explain exactly what happened and what the government means by ‘from Malaysia.’”
The alleged shipment from Malaysia followed an earlier delivery of 142,000 barrels (22.578 million liters) from Japan on March 26, aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive under Executive Order 110 to build supply buffers amid global volatility and escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
Tinio stressed that if the government is invoking emergency procurement and public funds, transparency must be higher, not lower.
“Malinaw dapat ang pinanggalingan ng diesel at proseso ng pagbili,” Tinio added. “Hindi puwedeng puro press release habang naguguluhan ang publiko at nadadamay ang ugnayang panlabas. Pananagutan ng DOE ang tumpak na impormasyon.”
“The Filipino people are paying for this crisis at the pump,” Tinio said. “They deserve transparency, not contradictions.” ###
