Sitoy-Cho intensifies crackdown against refilled butane canisters

Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho visit the fire victims at Barangay Catarman and have requested the police and traffic enforcers to apprehend retailers and those transporting refilled butane canisters. (CDNPHOTO/NORMAN V. MENDOZA)

Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho has ordered the police to confiscate all refilled butane canisters in the municipality.

Last Wednesday and Thursday’s fire, believed to have started from a leaky butane canister, razed more than 40 houses, prompting Mayor Sitoy-Cho to intensify crackdown against refilled butane canisters.

Mayor Cho said she was no longer issuing business permits to refilled butane station operators and retailers since last year when they adopted the ordinance created by Cebu province banning the use, manufacture, refilling, retailing and transport of refilled butane canisters.

They also started confiscating refilled butane canisters from retailers as well as apprehending vehicles carrying the items. However, there are still people secretly doing business involving refilled butane canisters.

The first fire alarm last Wednesday for this year affected 39 houses in Barangay Catarman.

The following day, five houses were burned and another one partially damaged in Sitio Bliss, Barangay Ibabao. Both fires were allegedly caused by refilled butane leak.

Meanwhile, in Sitio Lower Lipata, Barangay Linao, Minglanilla town, south Cebu, at least 527 refilled butane canisters and 105 empty butane canisters were seized by the police in a surprise inspection at around 6 p.m. on Friday.

The items were under the possession of Eduardo Antiligando, who has been reportedly selling butane in their area, said Supt. Dexter Calacar, chief of the Minglanilla Police Station.

Calacar said they received an information from a concerned citizen regarding the business of Antiligando. When the police went to Antiligando’s store, they found him selling several butane canisters.

Charges for violating Provincial Ordinance 2016-15 will be filed against Antiligando.

The ordinance forbids the refilling, distribution and retailing of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in canisters.