MANILA — Authorities have filed at least 27 cases for violations related to fuel hoarding, profiteering, and illegal petroleum trade, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said over the weekend.

Based on data released by the PNP, cases filed since March include seven for hoarding, one for profiteering, and 19 involving illegal storage, transport, and trading of petroleum products.

In a separate operation on Friday, personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group–Agusan del Norte Provincial Field Unit arrested two male suspects in Barangay Santa Ana, Tubay town for alleged oil pilferage, locally known as “paihi.”

The suspects, identified by their aliases “Ando” and “Bote,” were reportedly caught siphoning fuel from a tanker truck into barrels and smaller containers intended for unauthorized resale.

Authorities said the tanker truck had come from Cagayan de Oro City and had stopped along the roadside where the transfer took place. Seized from the suspects were petroleum products, including a barrel containing an estimated 180 liters, with total confiscated items valued at around P6.6 million.

The PNP said 294 gas stations nationwide have temporarily closed due to supply constraints, out of 14,527 stations.

Enforcement operations are being carried out in coordination with the Department of Energy and local government units’ price monitoring councils, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to maintain stability amid global fuel supply pressures.

Meanwhile, the PNP also reported improved crime statistics under the rollout of its “Safer Cities” initiative.

Based on police data comparing March 28 to April 5 with April 6 to April 14, murder cases dropped by 9.8 percent from 91 to 82; homicide cases fell by 39.3 percent from 28 to 17; physical injuries decreased by 22.7 percent from 132 to 102; and rape cases declined by 22.9 percent from 96 to 74.