CEBU, Philippines — Over 3,000 pieces of butane canisters refilled with liquefied petroleum gas and LPG tanks were seized by the police in a raid at a quarry site in Barangay Tawason, Mandaue City.
The butane-refilling store was the 15th station raided by the team from the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detention Group and the Department of Energy in Central Visayas.
Among the items seized were more than 3,000 butane canisters, 50-kg and 11-kg LPG tans, and other refilling equipment.
Engineer Joey Maleza, Energy Industry Management Division supervisor at DOE-7, said a criminal case will be filed against the store owner and employees for violating Presidential Decree 1865, which prohibits the sale of certain petroleum products.
He said the store was placed under surveillance.
He said they are suspecting that somebody must have tipped off the owner about the raid because the number of items confiscated was unexpectedly small.
"Among duda nga naa’y naka-tip kay gamay na lang ang nahabilin sa maong refilling station," Maleza said.
He said though the agency has observed a decrease in LPG-filled canisters, attributing to the crackdown against refilled butane canisters.
"Gawas niini ang atong katawhan medyo nasayud na usab sila unsa ka delikado kun mogamit sila aning butane canister nga LPG ang sulod. Labi na ning canisters nga grabe na og taya, inig leak ana kay delikado gyud ni maka- cause og sunog," he said.
The DOE-7 has been urging the public to stop patronizing refilled butane canisters in their homes in cooking food as they are dangerous and can cause fire. (FREEMAN)