NBI raids shops selling fake LPG cylinders

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) served warrants on four establishments selling imitation liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in the cities of Caloocan and Manila yesterday.

Head agent Jose Justo Yap, of the NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD), said they served the warrants issued by Judge Antonio Eugenio of Branch 24 of the Manila City Regional Trial Court on Gas Delivery/Power Gas, MB Santiago General Merchandise, Sell Gas Center and Razo Store.

Yap said the complainants Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Total Philippines Inc. and Superkalan Gaz Corp. are set to file charges of trademark infringement and unfair competition against the owner’s of the four stores.

During the raids, agents recovered 166 imitation LPG cylinders worth P650,000. They also confiscated a delivery truck and a motorized pedicab.

The raid was conducted after a series of test buys proved the stores were selling imitations of the complainants’ products. These were temporarily stored at a private facility along Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City.

"This has been an ongoing program since 1998 by the IPRD and the private complainants to protect the interest of the buying public," Yap said.

He advised the public to buy LPG cylinders only from authorized dealers and check if they have security features and make sure there are no leaks.

The NBI-IPRD chief said buying low quality cylinders could cause explosions and accidental fires. He added the imitations often shortchange buyers.

"Each cylinder should be filled with 11 kilograms of gas which usually lasts for a month. The fake LPG cynlinder only lasts two to three weeks," Yap said.

A bogus LPG cylinder goes for as low as P390 while the original costs about P415.