THE Provincial Prosecutors’ Office of Imus, Cavite, found probable cause to indict several officials of Pryce Gases Inc., accused of the unauthorized refilling of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders owned by Eastern Petroleum Corp.
Accused were Efren A. Palma, Pryce Gases president and COO, of two counts of violation of Batas Pambansa 33, as amended by Presidential Decree 1865, and two counts of violation of Republic Act 8293 of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines of 1997.
The one-page resolution, penned by Prosecutor Anita A. Gaduang-Rosales, was based on the results of two test buys conducted by members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which confirmed the refilling plant of Pryce Gases, located at Maguyam in Silang, Cavite, was engaged in the illegal refilling of LPG.
It added the results of the two test buys where EC Gas cylinders, the LPG brand of Eastern Petroluem, were being refilled by Pryce Gases were sufficient to establish the illegal activities being undertaken in Pryce’s plant in Silang, Cavite, which are punishable under said laws.
“The Office of the Provincial Prosecutors’ resolution confirms our allegations of illegal LPG refilling and gives a legal cover to pursue our case,” Eastern Petroleum said.
The company added these illegal refilling activities imperil not only the lives of consumers but can also cause damage to properties.
The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier committed to the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association (IPPCA) it would go against illegal LPG refilling activities in the country.
The DOE also committed to revisit existing regulations that would prevent the unauthorized refilling of other LPG companies’ cylinders and, at the same time, work on improving industry standards that ensure cylinders are well-maintained and consumers’ safety, as well.
On February 1 the price of LPG increased by P5.30 per kilogram. The price of auto LPG also shot up by P3 per liter. The upward adjustments reflect the international contract price of LPG for the month of February.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said the root cause of the LPG price hike this month was due to the increased demand by the cold-weather continents, such as North America, Europe and even Northern Asia.
“LPG is primarily being used as a heating fuel in these regions, especially with the extended cold weather or winter attributed to La Niña. Large consuming countries are having a hard time getting their supply because even the transportation of these LPG products, mostly through railway, is also affected by the cold weather. This curbs supply, then affects the demand, and ultimately the prices,” Cusi said.
Other factors for the rising prices of LPG include the rising global crude oil prices and outages of oil refineries in some oil-producing countries.
“LPG is a by-product of crude-oil and natural-gas production. And with the global crude-oil prices going up due also to the higher demand and curbed supply production from the OPEC [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries], any by-product would also increase,” he added.
More than 90 percent of the country’s LPG supply is imported. Thus, the DOE wants to ensure LPG products sold in the local market are reasonably priced.
“Apart from prices, I encourage the public to be more vigilant in ascertaining the LPG cylinder they are buying has the right weight, 11 kilograms, which is the common volume for a household LPG cylinder,” Cusi said.