Pasig cites honest rescue worker, taxi driver

The city government of Pasig honored yesterday two Pasigueños for honesty, including volunteer worker Candy Lacno, who returned P49,000 cash she recovered from one of the victims in the Ultra stampede.

The City Council approved yesterday the release of P200,000 in reward money to Lacno and her fellow volunteers as well as to Raymundo de los Santos, a taxi driver who returned P26,000 a passenger left behind in his vehicle.

Lacno and De los Santos received P5,000 each while the rest will go to Pasig rescue workers and other members of volunteer groups that responded to the Ultra tragedy.

"These two ordinary people have restored out faith in the Filipino race. Hindi totoo ang mga sinasabi ng iba diyan na ang mga mahihirap ay patay-gutom," Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio said during the flag-raising ceremony at the City Hall quadrangle yesterday. "Ipinakita ng dalawang ito na ang Pilipino ay tapat at marangal."

It was Lacno, of Barangay Bambang, who found and returned the P49,000 while searching for documents from bodies during the Feb. 4 stampede that claimed 74 lives.

On the other hand, De los Santos, of Barangay Rosario Tramo, returned the cash left by his passenger. He said he was never tempted to take the money despite having a sick child.

Eusebio also congratulated City Hall employees and barangay volunteers who responded to the Ultra disaster.

"You are the real heroes of the day, not the politicians and other credit-grabbers," he said. "Tayo ang naunang dumating doon at tayo rin ang patuloy hanggang ngayon na nagtatrabaho."

Despite being a Saturday, a non-working day, City Hall employees were the first to arrive at the scene.

"While we do not seek publicity for our actions, neither do we expect to be vilified. Let us give credit where credit is due," Eusebio said.