Filipinos cautioned each other to be wary of similar crimes following reports that fuel was siphoned from a parked vehicle in Quezon City.
Reports said that a truck in Barangay Fairview, Quezon City lost P10,000 worth of diesel when another motorist siphoned its fuel.
The incident occurred past midnight on March 31, on what appeared to be a residential street.
CCTV footage showed an individual parking a car beside the truck before siphoning the fuel, a crime that lasted several minutes.
The truck’s owner, Ian Gabriel Dilay, said his driver, who was supposed to take the vehicle to Bulacan, was surprised to see the fuel gauge indicating the tank was empty.
The driver was shocked, having made sure the tank was full before the long journey.
Dilay and the driver then noticed that the truck’s fuel tank cap was open, indicating that someone had siphoned its diesel.
The incident was reported to the Fairview Police Station.
It later made its way to a Filipino Reddit community, where users warned others to remain vigilant.
Posts from the philippines
community on Reddit
“Brace yourselves, feel ko mas marami pang crimes that will involve acts like this… sobrang desperate na ng mga tao,” a Redditor wrote in the “r/Philippines” community.
“Early 00s naririnig ko na ‘yan na diskarte ng mga driver at pahinante ng truck. Pero malamang, mas lalala ngayon dahil sa crisis,” another commented, referring to the oil crisis affecting the Philippines and the global community.
“Sa panahon na lalong naghihirap ang bansa at mga tao, talagang madaming krimen bng mangyayari. Kaya, let’s be ready,” a different Reddit user said.
“So, my boss was right. Was just talking about this the other day. Wait till the food inflation slaps. It’s just going to get worse from here on out,” another Pinoy wrote.
“Expect high crime rate kasi sobrang mahal na ng mga bililihin,” a different Reddit user commented.
Motorists on Tuesday, April 7, are facing another round of price increases in petroleum products, with diesel and kerosene prices rising for the 15th straight week, while gasoline prices have climbed for 13th week.
An oil industry source previously said diesel could cost as much as P165 per liter following the latest round of increases.
The price hikes are due to tight petroleum supply, as oil shippers from the Middle East face challenges transporting their products amid military actions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran said Philippine vessels and seafarers would be allowed safe and unhindered passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil shipments to the global market.
The Philippines imports 98% of its crude oil from the Middle East, and the strait’s effective closure since early March has disrupted supply lines and sent oil prices soaring. — with reports from Philstar.com/Cristina Chi
