TEN persons were convicted and were ordered to pay a fine of at least P20,000 after pleading guilty to charges of illegal distribution of petroleum products.
Antonio Destacamento and Rone Areglado, residents of Medellin town, pleaded guilty to the charges filed by the Department of Energy in Central Visayas (DOE-7) for illegal trading of butane canisters filled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The Municipal Circuit Trial Court (Santa Fe- Bantayan-Madridejos) also convicted Rodel Carata, Victor Moreno, Junjun Ducanes, Reynante Chapin, Jhon Kim Burgos, Ronnie Ilustrimo and Domingo Forrosuelo on Aug. 13, also for illegal trading of LPG-filled butane canisters.
On Aug. 10, Dennis Lumapas, a resident of Barangay Casili, Consolacion, also pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of P20,000 for engaging in the refilling of canisters with LPG. According to DOE Legal Officer Russ Mark Gamallo, Lumapas’ refilling station was the source of LPG-filled butane in their village.
Since June 2018, at least 26 persons were already convicted for illegal distribution of LPG-filled butane canisters. Each convicted person was either ordered to pay a fine of at least P20,000 or sentenced to two-year imprisonment.