Caught in the act: NBI agents arrest 4 people for oil pilferage
The National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Organized Transnational Crimes Division (NBI-AOTCD) arrested on Wednesday four persons for oil pilferage in Navotas.
Caught in the act of committing the crime were Larry Santiago, Mark June de la Curz, Joemar Delvo, and Levy Manlapas
Citing an intelligence report, NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said the pilferage was perpetrated by a group headed by someone called Ruby Anne or Rovy Ann, who operates in the area of Tangos, Navotas.
Acting on the reports, agents from the NBI and Bureau of Customs proceeded to monitor the illegal acitivites.
The suspects were caught in the act of unloading and selling petroleum products on board their motorbancas.
They buyers fled immediatley on seeing agents approach the banca marked with the name Rovy Ann, later confirmed to be owned by Manlapas, one of arrested suspects.
Seized in the banca were 10 empty containers and four containers filled with diesel.
Meanwhile, the NBI and BOC agents proceeded to the residence of Manlapas and found several other containers of petroleum products.
The group failed to show a license to operate from the Department of Energy (DOE), resulting in their arrest and seizure of the products.
The suspects are facing a complaint for violation Batas Pambansa Bilang 33, also known as Oil Pilferage Law, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1865. /atm
