POLICE operatives seized over 33,000 liters of illegal petroleum products valued at approximately ₱2.61 million and arrested three employees during an enforcement operation in Masinloc, Zambales, on August 31, 2026.
The joint operation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Zambales Provincial Field Unit, alongside the Masinloc Municipal Police Station and the Provincial Intelligence Team.
Authorities targeted a local retail establishment in Barangay Inhobol after a prior investigation with the Department of Energy (DOE) revealed that the facility lacked a valid Certificate of Compliance and had no authorization to distribute or sell petroleum products.
During a undercover test-buy operation, law enforcement personnel apprehended three staff members: a 33-year-old station manager and two gasoline attendants aged 21 and 19.
A total of 33,249 liters of fuel was confiscated from the premises, comprising 10,437 liters of diesel, 14,312 liters of unleaded gasoline, and 8,500 liters of premium gasoline, with a combined market value of ₱2,608,264.60.
Operatives also secured relevant transaction logs, sales ledgers, and business records to support prosecution.
The arrested individuals face formal criminal charges for violating Batas Pambansa Blg. 33, as amended, which regulates the distribution and sale of petroleum products in the Philippines. Inquest proceedings are currently being prepared.
PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. stated that the raid underscores the agency’s commitment to procedural, evidence-based law enforcement.
“When we identify potential violations, we verify the facts, act strictly within the law, and allow the evidence to guide the process,” Nartatez said, adding that intelligence gathering and regulatory checks remain vital to protecting consumers from illicit business practices.
