The Good News

MANILA, Philippines—Like most Filipinos, Jessie Tinguel regarded policemen as abusive and crooked public officials.

On Wednesday, his view of men in uniform quickly changed after a rookie policeman returned the wallet and money he inadvertently left in a taxicab in Baclaran on Friday night.

During a simple ceremony at the Parañaque City Hall, the 46-year-old seaman got back his valuables intact from Police Officer 1 Jimmy Reginaldo, who found the wallet containing P10,000 and $100 cash.

Tinguel, who came home last month for a short vacation from Seattle, USA, said his experience completely changed his attitude toward police officers.

“I never thought that my wallet and money would be returned to me. This only proved that we still have good policemen around. We can trust them,” Tinguel said.

“I’m really thankful (to Reginaldo),” he added.

Reginaldo, 37, assigned at the investigation section of the Parañaque city police office, said he noticed the wallet on the floor of a taxi which he boarded near the Baclaran Church.

When he checked on it, he was surprised to find the big amount of cash inside the wallet, along with several identification cards and documents.

According to Reginaldo, he was able to contact Tinguel on Monday after he personally went to the address written on the seaman’s tax identification number card.

The house in Dasmariñas, Cavite, later turned out to be the residence of Tinguel’s father.

With his meager monthly salary of P15,000 as a rookie cop, he admitted that he could have used the money to provide for the daily needs of his five children and for his studies as graduating law student at Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

But Reginaldo said he never thought of keeping the money.

“I’m a God-fearing person. I believe that if you do something bad, God would certainly make you pay for it,” he said.

Senior Supt. Alfredo Valdez, Paranaque police chief, lauded Reginaldo for his honesty.