BY WENDELL VIGILIA

THREE militant lawmakers yesterday said President Arroyo should replace Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes who they claimed has been acting as "spokesman" for major oil companies on the issue of shortage in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

"Sa hearing ng House of Representatives, si Secretary Reyes ay nagsilbing spokesman ng three oil companies. Wala siyang independent na pag-aaral na ginawa hingil sa artificial LPG shortage," Rep. Liza Maza (PL-Gabriela) said.

Maza said Reyes should resign if the President decides not replace him. "Hindi niya kaya ang trabaho niya dahil publiko ang na-agrabyado," she said.

Retailers have blamed Pilipinas Shell, Caltex and Petron for the shortage of LPG supply in Metro Manila in the past month, by cutting deliveries to their own retailers.

Arnel Ty, president of the LPG Marketers Association, told the House committee on energy last week that the 138 re-fillers, 1,200 dealers and 10,000 outlets are in no position to collude in hoarding their stocks as claimed by the energy department.

Reyes refuted this claim, saying hoarders and illegal re-fillers are causing the problem. Illegal re-fillers load only unbranded cylinders, causing the absence of branded cylinders in the market.

Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (PL-Gabriela) said the LPG shortage is the latest and most pressing reason for the President to replace Reyes.

"He has not competently managed the Department of Energy," she said. "He has even acted as spokesperson of the giant oil companies, failing to protect the interest of the poor Filipinos."

"But his replacement should not be another retired military man. The bureaucracy is full of them already," she said.

Rep. Risa Hontiveros (PL-Akbayan) said Reyes should either be relieved or just resign.

"He said there is kink in the distribution system, then he should locate and iron them out instead of automatically siding with the big three versus independent re-fillers without substantiating his analysis," she said.