17 NABBED FOR HOARDING PILFERED FUEL IN PAMPANGA

BY KEVIN GALANG 

POLICE on Thursday arrested 17 men for allegedly hoarding pilfered petroleum products in a raid at two warehouses in Lubao, Pampanga.

In a report to Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, Pampanga police director Col. Jay Dimaandal identified those arrested in a raid at a warehouse in Bgy. Prado Siongco, Lubao as alias “Val,” 20; alias “Jabel,” 20; alias “Garde,” 57; alias “Gere,” 21; all of Bgy. Mambog, Hermosa, Bataan; alias “Dolfo,” 56, of Hermosa, Bataan; and alias “Laurel,” 37, of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

In another  raid at a warehouse on bypass road in Bgy. Lourdes, Lubao, nabbed were alias “Negro,” 30, of Pandacan, Manila; alias “Abapo,” 38, of Lourdes, Lubao; alias “Subosa,” 52, of Lourdes, Lubao; alias “Portes,” 34, of Lourdes, Lubao; alias “Fuertes,” 48, of San Rafael, Bulacan; alias “Yuson,” 29, of Bgy. Balantacan, Lubao; alias “Valen,” 41, of Bgy. Balantacan, Lubao; alias “Oscar,” 41, of Bgy. Balantacan, Lubao; alias “Moniso,” 25, of  Bgy. Ugong, Valenzuela; alias “Cruz,” 38, of San Ildefonso, Bulacan;  and alias “Aroza,” 27, Gapan, Nueva Ecija.

An investigation showed personnel of  the Lubao police and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Lubao were informed by the residents of Purok 7, Bgy. Prado Siongco, Lubao on the  pungent smell in the area.

Members of the BFP and the police were  dispatched to the warehouse and caught the  suspects in the act of illegally hauling pilfered petroleum products.

Confiscated from the first raid were 32  1,000-liter Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), two metal tank containers, two pumping machines, a metal panel, an estimated 3,800 liters of petroleum products, two fire extinguishers, notebook and receipts indicating sale of petroleum products, a tanker truck with plate number NDG 9814 and P279,400 in cash.

During questioning, the suspects pinpointed to another warehouse on bypass road in Bgy. Lourdes, Lubao.

Authorities immediately launched another raid in a warehouse in  Bgy. Lourdes and seized five empty 1,000-liter capacity containers,  51 empty containers of 16-liter capacity, 15 containers of 1000-liter capacity with content, an Isuzu GIGA Close Van with plate number CBP3126, a tanker truck with plate number AWA 7589 and one dump truck with plate number NPO 6296. 

All arrested suspects are now detained at the Lubao Police Station jail and will be charged with violation of Batas Pambansa 33 which prohibits the illegal trading and hoarding of petroleum products.