DESPITE the recent national price decrease in petroleum products, police in Abra province arrested two individuals involved in the illegal dispense or selling of petroleum products and are now facing a case for violating Presidential Decree 1865.
In the afternoon of November 13, personnel of Villaviciosa Municipal Police Station (MPS), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Provincial Field Unit (CIDG PFU)-Abra conducted a simultaneous drug bust and entrapment operations on the reported unscrupulous businessmen engaged in the proliferation of adulterated petroleum products.
This was conducted at Barangay Poblacion and Laplapog, Villaviciosa, Abra which resulted to the arrest of Fedirico Agaid Panabang, 44, and Helen Ginez Bello, 53.
Other suspects evaded arrest during the operation while Panabang and Bello are now in the custody of CIDG PFU-Abra for documentation prior inquest proceedings.
Confiscated from Bello were 446 liters of diesel, 335 liters of regular gasoline and 2,010 liters of premium gasoline while Panabang was caught with 39 liters of diesel, 126 liters of premium and 18 liters of regular.
Another suspect, identified as Marino Laranang who remains at large is believed to have in his custody some 720 liters of diesel, 864 liters of premium and 180 liters of regular fuels.
Presidential Decree 1865 amended Batas Pambansa Bilang 33, Entitled “An Defining and Penalizing Certain Prohibited Acts Inimical to the Public Interests and National Security Involving Petroleum and/or Petroleum Products, Prescribing Penalties Therefor and for Other Purposes,” by including Short-Selling and Adulteration of Petroleum and Petroleum Products and Other Acts in the Definition of Prohibited Acts, Increasing the Penalties Therein, and for Other Purposes.”