By MARJUICE DESTINADO
Bulatlat.com

CEBU – Former House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Executive Vice President Carlos Zarate condemned the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites on June 22, warning it could worsen inflation and burden Filipino consumers.

The US military launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites, using bunker-buster bombs — an operation US President Donald Trump hailed in a televised address as a “spectacular military success.” 

He warned Iran to “make peace” or face even “greater” attacks, declaring the strikes were only the beginning. “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump said.

The bombing came just days after the US expressed openness to resuming talks with Tehran, highlighting what critics see as the US’ long-standing pattern of diplomatic doublespeak and armed intervention.

Zarate described the strike as a reckless act that “undermines diplomatic solutions and violates international law.” He accused the US of employing counterterrorism rhetoric to justify wars while ignoring deeper sources of instability such as Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

“This clearly wag-the-dog move by the Trump administration is placing humanity’s future in clear and present danger,” he said.

He also urged the Marcos administration to adopt a “firm, independent stance against foreign military aggression and to prioritize diplomatic solutions through the United Nations.” 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the concern, saying he was “gravely alarmed” by the airstrikes and warned of “catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”

“I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law. At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” he said.

Economic blowback

But beyond the diplomatic arena, Zarate warned that Filipinos are likely to feel the economic consequences firsthand — particularly through oil price hikes driven by market fears of further escalation.

“This unwarranted military aggression will not only destabilize the region further, but also have severe repercussions for the Philippines,” Zarate said. “It will drive up global oil prices and exacerbate economic hardships for ordinary Filipinos.”

One flashpoint is the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow maritime chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which around 20 million barrels of crude oil and 20% of global liquefied natural gas pass daily. Iran has threatened to block the strait in retaliation, and military analysts warn that any disruption could send oil prices soaring past $120 per barrel.

Market anxiety is already visible. Since Israel began its strikes on Iran on June 12, oil prices have surged by nearly 10%. ING analysts say prices are now nearing five-month highs as the possibility of deeper US involvement looms.

In import-dependent economies like the Philippines, the impacts are immediate. According to updated projections from Jetti Petroleum, diesel prices are set to climb by P4.90 to P5.10 per liter, while gasoline could increase by P3.20 to P3.40. The Department of Energy confirmed that the hike, effective June 24, could even exceed P5 per liter due to global volatility.

Jetti Petroleum President Leo Bellas warned that the worst may still be ahead. “Prices have remained elevated because of the Israel-Iran conflict that may be aggravated should the US be involved, pushing the risk of supply disruption from the region higher,” he said, as reported by Inquirer.

Zarate stressed that the Marcos administration cannot afford to remain reactive amid rising oil prices, calling instead for the immediate implementation of economic safeguards.

In a press release, he urged the government to “prioritize the implementation of urgent economic safeguards that will cushion vulnerable sectors from the surge in oil prices,” while also calling for a reversal of the country’s “largely pro-importation policy” in favor of developing local industries.

He also called for a global, collective resistance to militarism, warning that wars like these only benefit arms dealers and corporate giants while civilians are left to suffer the cost. (RTS, AMU)