RESPONDING to the persistent complaints of local petroleum dealers, the City Council has finally passed a resolution to deal with the proliferation of illegal retailing of petroleum products here.
Illegal retailers of petroleum products hogged local headlines recently when a vehicle delivering the bootlegged fuel caught on fire. In a matter of minutes, the fire spread and razed some 10 houses and seven stores in Barangay Barra, Opol town.
Resolution No. 01-2016 requests the City Treasurer, the city’s police force, fire department, and other concerned agencies to “monitor and stop all illegitimate retailers of gasoline in bottles and other storage facilities not prescribed by law.”
“These people surely don’t have business permits, they should be stopped, aside from being so dangerous to the lives and properties nearby,” Councilor Teodolfo Lao, chair of the committee on energy said.
Lao also suggested to include sari-sari stores in the inspections considering reports that some of these stores are also selling petroleum products.
Jose Villo, representing the Association of Pilipinas Shell Dealers, told the City Council they have always welcomed competition. However, safety measures, quality of the products, among others should be observed, he added.
For his part, District Fire Marshal Chief Insp. Rom-mel Villafuerte assured the City Council that they will conduct inspections in areas where illegal retailers have been known to operate.
Villafuerte said that retailing of petroleum products is not illegal, per se.
“Retailers must commply with the distance requirement, put up no smoking sings, and always have a fire extinguisher at all times. If retailers cannot comply with these requirements – their operations are considered illegal,” he said.
Under the Fire Code of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire’s concern is the storage and handling of the product but it does not have no police power to confiscate.
Villafuerte, however, said his office will submit a report on their inspections to the City Council. (cdeosp)
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