Gas pilferers nabbed in QC

Police arrested in Quezon City the other day at least seven suspected members of the notorious "Paihi Gang," believed responsible for robbing gasoline tankers of petroleum products.

Suspects Rodolfo Cortez, 44, Ramil Tobias, 29, Cipriano San Pedro, 54, Ali San Miguel, 27, Alex Viscarra, 22, Joel Tripuno, 31, and Apolinar Cadungog, 29, are now detained at the Central Police District headquarters.

According to Chief Inspector Rodolfo Jaraza, head of the CPD-Intelligence Unit, they have been conducting extensive surveillance operations against the group for almost a week now.

Reports showed that the suspects have been recently frequenting San Pedro’s warehouse at 395 G. Araneta Avenue, Barangay Sienna, where they steal contents of gasoline tankers before they get delivered to gas stations.

Policemen pounced on the gang at about 5:30 p.m. while they were in the act of pilfering petroleum gas from the tankers of Caltex and Petron at the said warehouse.

Confiscated from the men were empty drums and water pumps, which they used in siphoning contents from tankers. Charges are now being readied against the seven men. – Matthew Estabillo