Cops seize illegal diesel in Bacolod City

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — Police seized around 1,420 liters of suspected illegally traded diesel fuel worth P120,700 and arrested a 56-year-old man during a buy-bust operation at Purok Nami-Nami, Barangay Banago here on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 3.

The suspect, identified only by his alias “Panoy,” a resident of Barangay Banago, was apprehended at around 5 p.m. following reports of illegal siphoning, storage, and trading of petroleum products in large volumes, the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) reported.

A police poseur-buyer successfully bought a container of diesel fuel worth P1,000 using marked money, triggering the suspect’s immediate arrest, the PRO NIR said.

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A search of the area led to the recovery of five 200-liter drums and fourteen 30-liter containers filled with suspected diesel fuel, priced at P85 per liter.

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READ: Police recover 5,700 liters of alleged pilfered diesel in GenSan

Operatives also confiscated 13 empty buckets, approximately 150 empty containers, four manual rotary pumps with discharge hoses, three panel vans, and one L300 vehicle allegedly used to store and transport the fuel.

Initial police findings revealed the operation lacked the required Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Energy (DOE) and fire safety clearance from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

READ: 10 nabbed over alleged ‘paihi’ scheme in Navotas City, P12-M fuel seized

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The suspect was informed of his constitutional rights upon arrest and was brought to Bacolod City Police Station 3 along with the confiscated evidence for proper documentation and disposition.

Authorities said the seized fuel is being secured under safety measures pending coordination with regulatory agencies.

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Panoy faces charges for violating Batas Pambansa Blg. 33, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1865 and Republic Act No. 10588, which will be filed for inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

The joint operation was spearheaded by the PRO NIR Regional Intelligence Division, with support from Police Station 3 of the Bacolod City Police Office, the Regional Intelligence Unit,  the Regional Field Unit, the City Intelligence Unit of the Bacolod City Police Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection NIR. /cb