Iloilo Police Monitor Fuel Prices, Adjust Patrols Amid Middle East Crisis

ILOILO CITY – The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) is actively monitoring fuel prices across the region in response to potential increases linked to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan, director of PRO-6, announced on Monday, March 9, 2026, that provincial and city directors, down to the municipal level, have been instructed to oversee gas stations and collaborate with owners and managers to ensure adherence to Department of Energy (DOE) guidelines regarding petroleum product pricing.

The monitoring effort aims to prevent price gouging, hoarding, and unauthorized price hikes. “If there is [evidence of violations], we document so that when the guidelines of DOE come out, we can file cases through regular filing,” Ligan stated. So far, fuel price increases have been recorded in Roxas City, Capiz, and the PRO-6 will include justifications for these increases in their report to the DOE.

Coordination with Local Government

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas has also sought guidance from the DOE on appropriate price ranges for monitoring purposes. The city government plans to deploy its own teams to assist in the monitoring process and has urged establishments to implement any fuel price increases gradually.

Adjustments to Police Operations

In addition to fuel price monitoring, PRO-6 is adapting its operations to address rising fuel costs. The regional office will comply with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive for a temporary four-day work week for non-uniformed personnel. Patrol operations will be “recalibrated” to conserve fuel, and offices are directed to strengthen energy conservation measures.

“I will be talking with respective regional staff on how to recalibrate, especially our mobile patrols,” Ligan said.