Fuel pilferage suspects arrested

TUBAY, Agusan del Norte — Two men were arrested for alleged oil pilferage during an early morning operation in Barangay Santa Ana on 17 April, as police reported 27 fuel-related cases nationwide since 1 March.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Agusan del Norte Provincial Field Unit identified the suspects through their aliases “Ando” and “Bote,” a truck driver and his helper, who were arrested at around 1:36 a.m.

Police said the two were caught in the act of siphoning fuel from a tanker truck into barrels and smaller containers for unauthorized sale, a practice locally known as paihi.

The tanker truck reportedly came from Cagayan de Oro City and had stopped along the roadside when the illegal transfer was discovered.

Authorities recovered a trailer tanker loaded with petroleum products and a barrel containing about 180 liters of fuel. The total value of the seized items was estimated at P6.62 million.

The suspects are now in police custody and will face charges for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1865.

In a separate update, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has recorded 27 fuel-related violations nationwide from 1 March to 18 April. These include seven cases of hoarding, one case of profiteering, and 19 cases involving illegal storage, transport and trading of petroleum products.

As of 6 a.m. on 18 April, the PNP also reported that 294 gasoline stations have been temporarily closed out of 14,527 nationwide.

Police said monitoring operations on fuel supply and related violations continue in coordination with the Department of Energy and local price monitoring councils.