Money owner to sue brgy chief, scavengers

CEBU - The owner of the $60,000 that was found by a scavenger at the sanitary landfill in Inayawan has accused the barangay captain, his brother and three others, including the person who found the money for allegedly refusing to return it.

Emiliano Tanpin, Jr., who claimed to be the owner of the money that was allegedly accidentally thrown by his house helper on November 26, went to the office of the National Bureau of Investigation to file a complaint against Inayawan Barangay Captain Rustom Ignacio, his brother Warlito Ignacio together with Victoria Candido, Guliat Ursabia and Napoleon Ursabia.

Tanpin, whose family engages in a money changing business, said the five defendants refused to return the money.

In the morning of November 26, he allegedly left $60,000 placed in a rice sack on top of his table but his helper named Nelly accidentally disposed it thinking that it was garbage.

Tanpin said he found out later that the money was already thrown by his helper at about 8 a.m. when a certain Jimmy Miranda called up to ask where his dollars are.

Upon learning that the sack containing the money was already thrown by his helper, Tanpin said he rushed to the Inayawan landfill together with the garbage collectors of the barangay. He claimed he also had the incident reported to officials of barangay Calamba where he resides and sought the assistance of barangay captain Jojo Quijano.

However, all efforts to locate the money proved futile until a certain Rolly Salazar told Quijano that he knew who found the money.

Salazar said that it was Napoleon Ursabia who allegedly found the money while doing a scavenging work at the landfill. However, Napoleon reportedly turned over the money to the barangay captain Rustom Ignacio through his brother Warlito.

A witness told the NBI that Warlito, Victoria, Guliat and Napoleon went to the house of the barangay captain to turn over the money after it was confirmed genuine.

When the money was found, Napoleon allegedly gave $100 to a certain Novo Labrada who had it changed to peso to buy beer and rice for distribution to their neighbors in Inayawan.

The witness, whose identity the NBI refused to reveal upon his request, claimed that barangay captain Ignacio handed over P100,000 to Napoleon and ordered him to hide.

NBI operatives went to the barangay captain yesterday but the latter denied there was money turned over to him. The NBI also failed to locate Napoleon as he was no longer in his house.

The NBI is contemplating to file a case for theft against the people complained if they continue to refuse to return the money.

Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter president Briccio Boholst however said that he doubts if the scavenger who found the money could be held criminally liable if he refused to return the money.

Boholst said that the money was found in the dumpsite and therefore could already be considered discard. —Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)