DOJ vows action versus illegal LPG refillers

Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong recently said his office "will continue its campaign against the proliferation of the illegal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refilling trade" following mounting calls from various sectors for a decisive government crackdown against the racket.

Datumanong made the statement in a radio interview in the wake of continuing nationwide raids by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on suspected illegal LPG refilling plants and outlets. Former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, Datumanong’s predecessor at the Justice Department, also aired a similar commitment.

Datumanong said the NBI, which is under the Department of Justice (DOJ), is spearheading a nationwide government campaign against illegal LPG refillers in the wake of growing public concern over the danger posed by their products.

The NBI had earlier lamented that the trade "is going on nationwide, unabated." It warned that the illegal refilling process is "per se dangerous and the products of this trade unsafe." It cited reports by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) which said over 500 fires all over the country have been traced to the explosion of illegally-refilled LPG cylinders.

Records from the Fire Safety Enforcement Division of the Department of Interior and Local Government showed that over 50 fires were caused by the explosion of illegally-refilled LPG tanks last year.

The incidence of illegal LPG cylinder-related accidents rose following the proliferation of the illegal refilling business, the NBI noted.

Several suspected illegal LPG refillers are now facing complaints before the DOJ. Complaints have been filed before the DOJ against Omni Gas Corp., Republic Gas Corp. (Regasco), Northland Gas Corp., and Romars International Gases Corp. Datumanong vowed to speed up the processing of these complaints at the DOJ.

The Department of Energy (DOE) had also earlier filed charges against several establishment suspected of involvement in the illegal trade. Among these are Capitol Allied Trading, Excel Gas Corp., Lukban Gas Inc., Eslee Trading and J. Gutierrez Gas Center.

The NBI also said it is looking into reports that some local government officials may be supporting the proliferation of the illegal refilling of LPG cylinders in their respective areas.

The NBI expressed alarm over the reports which hinted that the continuing operation of illegal LPG refillers "might have the blessing of powerful local officials." The NBI said it is now verifying these reports even as it vowed to intensify surveillance and raid operations against the illegal trade.