Published
By Minerva Newman
CEBU CITY – The Department
of Energy-Visayas Field Office (DOE-VFO) is intensifying its campaign and
enforcement against illegal trading of petroleum products or “bote-bote”.
DOE secretary Alfonso
Cusi reiterated his stand against the illegal sale of petroleum products as he
received information that trading gasoline in “bote-bote (by the bottle)” has
become rampant in many areas in the country, including Capiz and Roxas City.
“The DOE is on top of
the situation with the reported “bote bote” cases and we are ensuring the
safety of the people by monitoring the quality and quantity of liquefied
petroleum gas,” Cusi said.
DOE dispatched an enforcement team in Capiz last week as part of its
intensified enforcement activities to combat the illegal trading of petroleum
products or “bote-bote”.
The DOE-VFO enforcement
team, with the local Philippine National Police units, raided six large
retailers of liquid fuels in the municipalities of Dumarao, Ivisan, and Roxas
City and confiscated16,346 liters of gasoline and 5,644 liters of diesel.
Criminal cases will be
filed against the nine individuals who were caught selling liquid fuels without
authority from the DOE, which is a violation of Batas Pambansa Bilang 33, “An
Act Defining and Penalizing Certain Prohibited Acts Inimical to the Public
Interest and National Security Involving Petroleum and/or Petroleum Products, Prescribing
Penalties therefore and for other Purposes”.
Aside from “bote-bote”,
the DOE-VFO will also be strengthening its enforcement activities against the
illegal refilling of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) into non-compliant
containers, like butane canisters.
Several fires caused by these
LPG-refilled butane canisters have been reported in a number of areas across
the Visayas, Cusi said.
The DOE is in close coordination
with the local PNP and the LGUs in the Visayas as part of its regulatory
operations in enforcing the safety standards of petroleum products.
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