DOE-7 reminds authorized refilling plants not to engage in illegal trade
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The regional director of the Department of Energy in Central Visayas is reminding owners of authorized refilling plants on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, to comply with the requirements in refilling canisters.
Attorney Mark Gamallo, the DOE Visayas Field Office Director, said this following the arrest of 12 workers of a refilling plant in barangay Dungguan in Danao City, on Sunday dawn, January 16.
This refilling plant allegedly did not comply with the DOE’s Standard Compliance Certificate, a permit issued to a refilling plant, allowing them to refill only using refillable canisters.
Gamallo said that the said refilling plant, FMZ LPG Center, allegedly refilled canisters not included in their permit. After receiving a report, the plant was placed under surveillance in coordination with the Danao City Police, which resulted to the operation on Sunday.
Gamallo said that these individuals will be facing complaints tor violating Presidential Decree 1865, or the Illegal Trading of Petroleum Products.
Gamallo said, under this law, refilling butane canisters without authority from DOE is an act of illegal trading.
Apart from said arrests, Gamallo said that they have confiscated P2million worth of items from the refilling plant, which includes the refilling machine, butane canisters, compressors, and others.
CDN Digital reached out to FMZ LPG Center via its Facebook page but did not receive any response as of this posting. A message asking for a statement was also sent to the owner through her FB account but she also has yet to reply.
With this, Gamallo reminds authorized refilling plants to comply with the requirements in selling.
“Sa kadtong mga licensed nato nga mga retailers, dealers, resellers…marketers, sunod lang ta sa balaod. If ever gusto mo mu refill og product, naa tay process ani nga angayng sundon. Di mani lisod pero ang nakadaot sa uban, gusto lang gyud og shortcut, so mao nay nahitabo karon sa usa ka planta nga nag refill og other brands,” Gamallo said.
(To all licensed retailers, dealers, resellers…marketers, let’s obey the law. If ever you refill a product, there is a process that needs to be followed. It isn’t difficult but what’s wrong with some is that they want a shortcut. That’s what happened to one plant that refills other brands.)
/bmjo
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