Petron officials rapped over worker's death

BALANGA CITY , Philippines – Six officials and security officers of the Petron oil refinery in Limay, Bataan were charged yesterday before the provincial prosecutor’s office with alleged obstruction of justice in connection with the death of a 24-year-old technician who was exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas at the plant’s sour water treating facility six months ago.

Charged were Alfredo Trio, vice president and general manager; Freddie Yumang, manager of the technical and service group; Reynaldo Velasco, area manager; Nathaniel Orillos, manager of the operations division; Juanito Caragay, safety, environment and facilities manager; Fernando Enriquez, manager of the human resource and administration department, and several unnamed security officers.

In an 11-page complaint, the parents of Anthony Jed Reyes, represented by lawyer Rico Paolo Quicho, accused the respondents of taking more than five hours before reporting the incident to the police, disallowing lawmen to enter the plant’s premises at once, refusing to cooperate with and seek the help of the police, and not permitting probers to interview the victim’s fellow employees. – Raffy Viray