Acting Bacolod Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said the city government task force will resume its inspection on gasoline stations once its “out of order” stickers” are ready and when the mayor returns before June 12.

The task force was created by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to check the accuracy of the calibration of pumping machines of gasoline stations in Bacolod City.

Sayson, however, said every time they inspect a gasoline station with fuel pumps found to have under-delivered, they cannot immediately padlock the pump that has not been properly calibrated, because, based on the law they have no authority to do so.

Under the guidelines of the Department of Energy, they can only send notices of violation. But even if they have issued the notice, giving the violator 72 hours to answer and correct the violation, the gasoline station can still dispense gasoline, he said.

Sayson said he met with the task force on the matter last week to see a how they can stop violators from selling gasoline after having been served a notice of violation.

One of the suggestions from a team from the City Treasurer’s Office is to put an “out of order” sticker on the handle of the fuel pump to prevent the gasoline station from selling gasoline, he said.

Sayson said the best solution they can offer until an ordinance is passed, authorizing them to close outright, not the whole establishment, but only the fuel pump found to have under-delivered, is to put an “out of order” stickers on it.

Once they have produced the stickers, they will resume their inspections, he said.*CGS

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