Police official returns P150,000 to trader

A Manila police official has once again brought prestige to Manila’s Finest when he returned a wallet containing P150,000 in cash and checks to a businessman who dropped it in Ermita.

Florante Candelaria, 59, of Barangay Pansol in Calamba, Laguna was extremely grateful to Senior Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr., chief of the Manila Police District’s homicide section, after getting back his black Guess wallet containing P150,000 cash and checks and several credit cards.

"Di ko na inaasahan na mababalik pa sa akin itong wallet lalo na ang laman. Meron pa palang mga honest na pulis sa Maynila," Candelaria was quoted as saying, adding the wallet could had slipped through his pocket while going to a business meeting in Ermita.

Arevalo found the wallet along the sidewalk of Ma. Orosa street in Ermita at 10 p.m. last Dec. 30 while his car stopped for a traffic light. He immediately informed his friends in Laguna to trace the owner of the wallet.

After failing to track down the owner, Arevalo asked a radio reporter’s help.

Fortunately, the owner was listening to the radio when details were announced on air.

He immediately proceeded to the MPD headquarters to claim his wallet.

Arevalo declined the monetary reward offered by Candelaria.

"Naniniwala ako na mas may babalik pa sa akin na higit doon. Kawawa naman ang mga taong nawawalan," Arevalo said.

It was the time the police official has had returned cash to the rightful owners.

Last July, Arevalo and his police operatives returned P700,000 to the wife of a Japanese tourist who jumped from a building in Ermita. The group also returned P1.7 million to a shipping firm that was robbed last May in Tondo.

In 2004, Arevalo twice returned cash totaling P21.4 million recovered from suspects of robbery incidents in Tondo.