5 nabbed for selling illegal butane

CEBU, Philippines — At least 1,000 illegally refilled butane canisters were confiscated from five people in two separate operations Saturday in Cebu City.

The five were arrested by patrol officers of the Police Station 10 (Punta Princesa Police Station) of the Cebu City Police Office.

The officers flagged down a multicab loaded with 576 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)-filled butane canisters in Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Labangon.

The police also arrested two people, namely Ruben Motero Cole, 23, and Nail-Mark Grapa Ernarciso, 18.

Patrolman Meonik Cabanero, tracker at Police Station 10, said Cole and Ernarciso were supposed to deliver the canisters to their clients in the said sitio.

Prior to their arrest, Cabanero said, they were already tipped off about the suspects’ illegal business.

In a separate operation in Barangay Punta Princesa, three people were arrested, resulting in the seizure of 834 butane canisters. The LPG-filled canisters were placed inside a vehicle.

Police identified the suspects as Victor Nicole Cabarse, 43, Jeson Rita Barliso,18, and Arvin Canoy Beltran,21.

Cabanero said the suspects were placed under surveillance for a week prior to the conduct of the operation.

He said they are still monitoring other LPG refilling stations.

“If you don’t want to stay behind bars, stop the illegal practice,” he warned those involved in the illegal butane refilling business.

All five suspects, who are detained at Police Station 10, will face charges for transporting petroleum products using a vehicle unregistered with the Department of Energy (DOE), and illegal trading since they were selling LPG-filled cylinders without DOE authority.

Under Presidential Decree (PD) 1865, all vehicles used in transporting petroleum products must be registered with the DOE.

It also prohibits the sale, distribution and transport of adulterated petroleum products. Violation of this provision is punishable by two to five years imprisonment and fine of at least P20,000. (FREEMAN)