Three men were nabbed last Thursday at a checkpoint in front of Robinsons Place Antique in San Jose de Buenavista for illegally transporting petroleum. Authorities identified the suspects as Edwin Gerona, Jake Gerona, and Nolasco Cahilig, Jr., all of whom are from Barangay Jinalinan in Bugasong, Antique.
The three were flagged down when police smelled petroleum. A subsequent search revealed the truck they were operating was loaded with 155 containers of petroleum, totaling 3,100 liters.
After the group was unable to present pertinent documents for the transport of the said products, they were taken into custody on violations of Presidential Decree No. 1865, which penalizes prohibited acts pertaining to petroleum and petroleum products.
The policy, signed in 1983 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, prohibits the unregistered delivery of petroleum products.
The vehicle and said cargo were impounded while the three were detained at the San Jose de Buenavista Police Station./WDJ