LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) — Authorities have arrested five individuals and seized 2,010 liters of gasoline and diesel in separate operations targeting the illegal trading of petroleum products in the Bicol region in recent days.
In Masbate, a certain “Rolly” was apprehended during an entrapment operation conducted by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in the remote village of Tan-awan in Placer town on Tuesday, March 24.
The PNP Bicol said they received information about the illegal sale of gasoline on Monday.
Officers from the local police and CIDG followed up on the lead and deployed an informant to purchase gasoline from Rolly’s sari-sari store.
Rolly sold five liters of gasoline to the informant at P100 per liter.
On top of this, 405 liters of gasoline were recovered in plastic containers and bottles.
In Albay, four suspects, identified only by their first names—Karl, Malyn, Jon, and Rom—were arrested at Purok 2, Barangay Maipon in Guinobatan town on March 18 while allegedly selling petroleum products without a license from the Department of Energy.
The CIDG Bicol reported that the arresting team confiscated three portable fuel dispensers holding 1,500 liters of gasoline and diesel and one tank containing 100 liters of gasoline.
In a statement, CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said the operations were part of the government’s effort to enforce existing laws on petroleum trading, particularly Batas Pambansa 33 and PD 1865, which prohibit the sale of petroleum products for profit without proper authorization.
Petroleum product prices in the country have risen in recent weeks due to global oil market volatility caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has declared a national energy emergency as the country feels the impact of a war thousands of miles away and has ordered closer monitoring by regulators and law enforcement.
The CIDG’s provincial field units in Masbate and Albay carried out the twin operations in coordination with the DOE and under regional supervision.
The CDIG encouraged the public to report any unauthorized trading of petroleum products.
Source: PIA Bicol