PRO-6 strengthening watch on oil pilferage

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — The Police Regional Office-6 has been keeping a tight watch on the reported oil pilferage in the waters of Western Visayas.

Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol, Jr., PRO-6 director, issued the order following consistent reports of the pilferage, locally termed as "paihi" at seas, particularly in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz.

Usually, the oil pilferage in Capiz occurs on vessels sailing the Masbate-Capiz areas, while in Iloilo it is rampant in the province's fifth district. The police will also be looking into these cases in the city itself.

At around 9:20 p.m. last Wednesday, police and members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) arrested nine persons for fuel theft and bribery. Unlike the usual oil theft, it reportedly had the "go signal" from the vessel's captain and chief engineer.

Senior Supt. Marietto Valerio, Iloilo City Police director, said that Roy Ligutom, 25, ship captain of M/V Cement Carrier, and resident of Barangay San Antonio in Talisay City in Cebu and his chief engineer, Froctuso Yap, Jr., 63, of Brgy. Apas also in Cebu City, were arrested after their employer, Apo Cement Corporation, informed the police about the possible oil theft in one of its vessels.

The police eventually caught several men loading around 30 steel drums filled with diesel fuel into a boat along the Iloilo Strait at Brgy. Loboc, La Paz district of this city. The recovered fuel has an estimated value of P300,000.

Valerio surmised that Ligutom and Yap might have sold the fuel to Steve Reyes, a resident of Iloilo City, at a much lower price.

During the operation, the police also arrested Reyes, the owner of M/B Gray Motor Launch, the boat where the drums were recovered; Dan Otocan, 27, the boat captain; and Rodrigo Platigue, 51, boat engineer, and resident of Brgy. Sto. Rosario, Buenavista, Guimaras.

Also arrested were crew members Eugene Gallo, 28, Rafael Co, 24, Rodolfo Bales, 31, and Robert Liguar, 38, all residents of Brgy. Zaldivar, Buenavista, Guimaras.

Ligutom and Yap will be charged with qualified theft while the other seven suspects will be charged with theft. On top of that, Reyes will also face a case of bribery after he allegedly tried to persuade SPO1 Stephen Siblag of Police Station 2 to release them in consideration of P100,000.

Jeck Conlu, operations officer of Apo Cement Corporation, claimed that they have incurred millions of loses due to the reported pilferage.

In the past several months, Conlu said it has reached their attention the consistent shortage of fuel of their vessels. They then began to suspect of possible oil pilferage. "For now, we could not peg an estimate of our losses because this happens all over the country," he added.

Valerio said they received reports of oil pilferage three months ago but at that time there was no concrete report or evidence that could warrant on arrest to the persons behind the activities.

The report stated that the fuel was bought at a lower price–like 30 percent off its actual price–to other unscrupulous businessmen.  (FREEMAN)