The owner of a mini-grocery store and its staff were arrested in an entrapment operation for allegedly selling gasoline and diesel in Pagudpud town, Ilocos Norte, without the permission of the Department of Energy (DOE).
According to Diosdado Araos, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Ilocos Norte, an asset of theirs on Wednesday pretended to buy petroleum products and he bought 2 plastic containers and family-size bottles with diesel and gasoline from the suspects in Barangay Pansian.
With the help of the Bureau of Fire Protection, 19 plastic containers containing diesel and 6 plastic containers containing premium gasoline were confiscated from the suspects.
Each plastic container contains 23 liters of petroleum products.
7 bottles containing diesel were also confiscated.
Also confiscated were plastic hand pump hoses, 26 empty plastic containers, and 3 plastic drums.
According to the authorities, the illegal sale of petroleum products has been going on for 5 years. Someone delivers to the owner’s store and sometimes they pick up at gas stations.
“Kasi kapag nag-retail ka ay delikado kasi ‘yong pinaglalagyan na nakuha namin ay sa mini-underground lang at kaunting pagkakamali lamang ay masusunog ang mga kapitbahay,” said Araos.
The suspect will be charged with violating Presidential Decree 1865 or Illegal Sale of Petroleum Products.
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The government distributed virgin coconut oil (VCO) on Wednesday to hospitals in Metro Manila as a supplement to patients with mild cases of COVID-19.
A total of 61 patients confined to 3 hospitals agreed to use the VCO in conjunction with their treatment, according to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, co-chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is continuing its clinical trial on the use of VCO as an adjunctive treatment to COVID-19, according to Secretary Fortunato dela Pena.
“‘Yung adjunctive ay pangdagdag na makabilis sa recovery…Hindi siya parang bakuna na ‘pag uminom ka hindi ka na magkakaroon pero tataas ang inyong immunity level kasi may anti-viral properties siya,” he told ABS-CBN Teleradyo on Thursday.