MANILA – Bureau of Customs (BOC) agents have temporarily sealed off a gas station in Valenzuela City after some of its tanks were found to contain unmarked fuel worth PHP3.1 million.
In a news release on Friday, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said three of the four tanks at the Roden Refilling Gas Station in Barangay Ugong failed the fuel mark test conducted by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) and Enforcement Group-Fuel Marking agents on Thursday.
“These fuel marking tests are done to ensure that the fuel being sold to our consumers are safe and have been properly tested and vetted. It is customary and functionary and it complements our border protection duties. The work that we do in the BOC is geared toward one goal and that is to win against all types of smugglers,” Rubio added.
Meanwhile, BOC-CIIS Director Verne Enciso reported that the agents proceeded to the gas station to conduct a chain of custody activities—which included marking, sampling, and testing of fuels from source, carrier vehicle/vessel, and destination retail/fuel stations or storage.
“After the gas station representative acknowledged the Mission Order, our personnel collected samples from the four fuel tanks there. Tanks numbers one to three failed the test, while tank four passed,” he said.
The BOC official explained that unmarked fuel, or the lack of an official fuel marker, indicates the lack of payment of necessary duties and taxes.
The station's fuel tanks 1 to 3 that failed the fuel mark testing contained 19,196 liters of premium gasoline, 18,680 liters of unleaded gasoline, and 19,098 liters of blended diesel, respectively.
Of the four tested tanks, only the fourth tank, which had 4,000 liters of blended diesel, passed the fuel marking test.
Following the failed marks on the initial tests, the fuel samples will undergo confirmatory testing by a private laboratory.
The BOC team also temporarily padlocked and sealed the gasoline station. A tarpaulin was also placed to warn against potential buyers.
Fuel markers are used to guarantee product integrity and protect against counterfeiting and tax fraud. (PNA)
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