2 men caught illegally trading gasoline in Occidental Mindoro

Two men were arrested in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro last week for illegally distributing and trading 16,000 liters of premium gasoline from a tanker truck, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

In a statement on Sunday, the PNP said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Occidental Mindoro Provincial Field Unit (PFU) and other police units caught the suspects in the act of distributing and trading petroleum products using a tanker truck without authority from the Department of Energy (DOE) on February 3 in Barangay Sto. Niño.

Authorities seized a 10-wheeler truck that contained 16,000 liters of premium gasoline worth P768,000, while the truck itself was worth P2 million.

The suspect, aged 55 and 34, are now in the custody of the CIDG Occidental Mindoro PFU for documentation and proper disposition.

They will be facing cases of violating Batas Pambansa 33 as amended by Presidential Decree 1865 that penalizes the illegal trade of petroleum and petroleum products.

The PNP pointed out that the illegal trade of fuel “poses safety risks and economic harm to communities.”

“Illegal fuel trading endangers lives and weakens lawful business, and the PNP will not allow these activities to continue. “Hindi natin hahayaang malagay sa panganib ang komunidad dahil sa ilegal na bentahan ng petrolyo (We will not allow communities to be placed in danger because of the illegal trade of petroleum),” PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.

“The law applies equally, and those who choose to violate it will face the consequences,” he added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News