Charges filed versus firms selling fake LPG gas

The National Bureau of Investigation is readying charges against owners and operators of three establishments selling liquefied petroleum gas  (LPG) placed inside tanks of Petron Corp. and Shell Corp., although such fuel did not come from the two gas companies.

In a report to NBI Director Nestor Mantaring, NBI’s Intellectual Property Rights Division Special Investigator III Arthur Ching, and lawyer Elfren Meneses Jr., chief of IPRD, said they are currently preparing charges against Hallow Point Gas, with office located at San Antonio Avenue corner San Vicente Ferrer Street, Parañaque;  10-24 General Merchandise, located at Chico Street, Verdant Acres Subdivision, Pamplona 3, Las Piñas City; and Extraordinaire Gas Corp., located at  Dr. A. Santos Avenue, Parañaque City.

Charges for violation of RA 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Unfair Competition) are being readied against the owners and operators of the establishments.

Earlier, NBI agents seized, during simultaneous raids at the establishments conducted around 6 p.m. on Dec. 11, a total of 65 cylinders/tanks – 34 pieces marked Gasul-Petron, and 31 marked Shell;  three small weighing scales;  one big weighing scale Toledo brand;  and one compressor.

The items seized had an estimated value of P100,000, the NBI said. The agents, during the raid, were armed with search warrants issued by Judge Reynaldo Ros, of the RTC, Branch 33.

The raid was conducted after they received a complaint from Petron and Shell that certain establishments were using their gas tanks as containers for a different brand of LPG. – Sandy Araneta