Solane confiscates illegally refilled LPG tanks in La Union
LIQUID petroleum gas (LPG) supplier Solane has seized around P70,000 worth of illegally-refilled and distributed LPG cylinders in two municipalities in La Union last month, the firm said Tuesday. In a press release, Solane said that confiscated 32 unauthorized LPG tanks during recent raids in the towns of Sto. Tomas and San Juan. Five tanks amounting to P11,150 were retrieved during a raid at Barangay Patac, Sto. Tomas last month, while 17 tanks worth P39,950 were seized in Barangay Namboongan. Meanwhile, 10 tanks with a value of P18,050 were confiscated during a raid at Barangay Urbiztondo in San Juan. The company reiterated its call for LPG buyers to be vigilant against unlawfully-refilled and marketed cylinders. “Only authorized and branded LPG dealers are guaranteed to supply genuine LPG products. These suppliers can be found in physical branches bearing the LPG brand’s name and government certifications inside their stores,” it said in a statement. Solane said buyers can verify if dealers are authentic by checking the markings on the cylinder. Authentic tanks, it said, carried the embossed brand name, trademark of manufacturer, the specific standards used, the date the cylinder was tested; the serial number, and tare weight in kilograms. It added that customers can find verified Solane products in authorized stores, or directly contacting the firm through its published mobile number or official Facebook page. — Angelica Y. Yang
P37.9M worth of fake CopperMask brand seized
COUNTERFEIT face masks under the brand CopperMask with an estimated value of P37.9 million were seized on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). In a statement, the bureau said the items were confiscated from several stores in Binondo, Manila and Pasay City, and in a warehouse in Biñan, Laguna. NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor said the operation was prompted by a request from JC Premiere Business International, official distributor of CopperMask in the country. The company sought “investigative assistance and enforcement actions to stop the proliferation and distribution of counterfeit/fake CopperMask products,” Mr. Distor said. Seven search warrants against the subject stores and warehouse for violation of trademark infringement under Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code were issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 46 of Manila. The search, conducted by the NBI-National Capital Region (NCR) team, was done in the presence of respondents’ witnesses, mall security, and barangay personnel. The seized CopperMasks are currently in a storage facility, NBI Public Information Officer Nick V. Suarez said in a mobile message on Tuesday. Once the search warrants are returned, “we will wait for a court order as to what to do with the (CopperMasks),” Mr. Suarez added. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago
63 people apprehended at QC restobar for protocol violations
SIXTY-three persons, including 15 senior citizens and a pregnant woman, were apprehended at a restaurant-bar in Quezon City past midnight Monday for alleged violations of quarantine restrictions. Ranulfo Z. Ludovica, who heads the city’s task force on health protocol compliance, said some of the senior citizens were over 65 years old, the age limit set for those who are not supposed to leave the house unless for emergencies. A pregnant woman and members of a music band were also accosted and fined for violating the city’s health and safety guidelines. Ten employees of the restobar could also face charges for working without health certificates. The restobar is also facing closure as it was operating beyond the 11 p.m. limit. Mr. Ludovica said they raided the restobar at around 12:15 a.m. following a complaint from a concerned citizen sent to Mayor Maria Josefina G. Belmonte. “There was also a video forwarded to us so we conducted a surveillance,” he said in a phone interview. It turned out the restobar was celebrating its grand opening on Monday when it was raided. — Emmanuel Tupas/PHILSTAR
Mactan-Cebu airport clears terminal of local gov’t booths; screening to be done at town, city borders
