Police raid butane refill station, nab employees

Several LPG tanks and canisters were seized from a butane-refilling station at Ouano Wharf, Mandaue City. (CDN Photo/Norman Mendoza)

Employees of a butane canister–refilling station were arrested in a raid by police at Ouano Wharf in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City, at 3:45 p.m. last Sunday.

Wellyn Boy Quilliopi Bacamo and common-law partner Rojane Mary Hipulan Galo, both in their 20s and residents of Zone II, Barangay Canduman in Mandaue City, were arrested while their equipment were seized by police.

Senior Insp. Marvin Fegarido of the Mandaue City police’s City Intelligence Division said the couple were arrested for violating Presidential Decree 1865 prohibiting the sale of certain petroleum products.

Fegarido said they received text messages from Ouano Wharf residents about the operation of the butane canister–refilling station that was hidden from public view.

Among the equipment seized were 14 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks used for refilling, three digital weighing scales, 223 butane canisters and notebooks containing the receipts.

The couple said the owner is a Mandaue City resident. Charges will be filed against the owner while the couple is detained at the Mandaue City Police Office.

Mandaue City has an ordinance that prohibits the sale and distribution of refilled butane canisters.

Lapu-Lapu City passed an ordinance that also bans the manufacture, sale and distribution of refilled butane canisters last April.

The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) earlier warned motorists that they will be fined and issued citation tickets if they are caught transporting refilled butane canisters.