An honest taxi driver returned a pouch containing P150,000 worth of cash and valuables owned by an American traveler he picked up at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, official sources said Tuesday.
Belen Zaza Swegler, 66, praised taxi driver, Romnick Espiritu of Peoples Network Transport, after she received the black pouch she left unnoticed inside the taxi last Monday.
The pouch contained P50,000 cash, $2,000, credit cards, different identification cards and Iphone 8 mobile gadget.
Reports from the Manila International Airport Authority-Media Affairs Division showed that Swegler arrived at the Naia Terminal 2 on board PAL flight PR-2748 from Palawan and took the accredited yellow taxi going to Newport City Hotel in Pasay City.
Later at the hotel, Swegler discovered that her pouch was missing.
She immediately returned to Naia and asked for assistance from the Airport Police Department Office.
Meanwhile, Espiritu was on his way back to Terminal 2 when he noticed a black pouch inside his cab, the sources said.
He then proceeded to the APD where he met Swegler who thanked him.
Swegler expressed elation over the recovery of her pouch. She also thanked the MIAA employees and the police for their assistance.
The foreigner returned to Newport City with driver Espiritu bringing her to her hotel.
MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal praised Espiritu for his honesty.
“I am proud to have the likes of Mr. Romnick Espiritu among the ranks of Naia-accredited taxi drivers,” said Monreal.
Five months ago, Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade visited Naia and personally commended two airport employees and a regular taxi driver who returned big amount of money they found while performing their duty.
The three workers were Antonio Infanta, driver of Bram regular white taxi; Rizalde Ocde of Integrated Workers Service Coop and security guard Alfredo Baldoza.
Tugade gave them P10,000 each as a reward for their honesty and good deeds.
Ocde turned over a sling bag containing $11,000 and P11,000 which he found at the money changer inside Naia Terminal 3 last Jan. 21 while Infanta turned over another sling bag containing gadgets and cash amounting to P220,000 which was found inside his taxi last Jan. 19.
Baldoza, on the other hand, turned over some $5,000 cash he found at the unloading area of Naia Terminal 3.