OVERPRICED. Authorities seize hundreds of gallons of alcohol and disinfectant from a local retailer and two other persons during an entrapment in Barangay. Poblacion, Iligan City, on April 21, 2020. Police accused the suspect of selling online overpriced alcohol and disinfectants, in violation of the government's price freeze order arising from the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic. (Photo courtesy of DTI-Lanao del Norte)
ILIGAN CITY--Authorities arrested Tuesday an online seller and seized more than 1,000 gallons of alleged overpriced isopropyl alcohol.
The Iligan City Police Office (ICPO)--aided by the City Health Office and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)--confiscated isopropyl 70% solution products amounting to PHP607,211 from an unnamed suspect.
Officials said the alcohol products, retailed at PHP770 per gallon, were priced beyond government regulations based on the price freeze order set by the Department of Health (DOH).
DOH circular 2020-0161 states that alcohol products "shall not exceed PHP520.00 per gallon, for the duration of the public health emergency" because of the 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Maj. Allan Abalde of the Iligan City Police Office said the suspect, who sells the overpriced alcohol products on Facebook, was subjected to surveillance prior to the Tuesday's entrapment operation.
Abalde said the 25-year-old suspect was arrested in her own shop along with two other individuals.
He said the suspect yielded 725 gallons of alcohol, 408 gallons of antiseptic disinfectants, and other pieces of evidence.
Charges were filed against the suspect and her alleged accomplices before the Iligan City Prosecutors Office on Wednesday. (PNA)
