The Metro Manila Development Authority on Tuesday commended three employees for their honesty in the line of duty after returning a sling bag, containing $79,500 back to a road accident victim in Taguig City.
The three MMDA Road Emergency Group members were identified as Mariel Bacho, Kristopher Concepcion, and Sheena Santillan who brought the bag containing bundles of US dollars—equivalent to more than P4 million—to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City where victim Thomas Dichavez was rushed.
It was around 4 am when the team responded to a road accident involving a sports utility vehicle and a truck that happened along the southbound lane of Circumferential Road 5.
Upon arrival, Bacho said they found Dichavez inside a Mitsubishi Montero in an inclined position and immediately pulled him out of the damaged vehicle.
Injured Dichavez was conscious but could not speak clearly, said Bacho.
Upon looking for the victim’s identification card, a bystander who first responded at the accident scene handed them a sling bag which was found inside the victim’s vehicle.
The team immediately secured the victim’s belongings and rushed him to the hospital.
Bacho said it was only at the hospital when they learned the worth of the belongings.
The bag was turned over to the security personnel of the hospital to make sure it would be returned to the owner.
According to Bacho, it was not the first time they returned valuables to road accident victims.
Bacho said it was part of the MMDA road emergency personnels’ training to return recovered items from accident scenes.
“When we saw the bundles of US dollars inside the bag, it never crossed our mind to take it. We are also thankful to the male bystander who found the bag inside the vehicle,” said Bacho.
MMDA chairman Danilo Lim praised the road emergency personnel for their exemplary and admirable character of truthfulness.
“We commend our employees for displaying an act of honesty. It is indeed worthy of emulation,” said Lim.