THERE were 14 checks all in all amounting to P1.1 million.
According to earlier reports, they were paid to cash, meaning they could be cashed in by anyone at any of the issuing bank’s branches with a valid ID.
They were found flying around at the corner of M.C. Briones and M.D. Echavez Streets in Barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City by Jose Feraniel Jr., a traffic enforcer of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020.
Feraniel could have left the checks alone to eventually rot or be carried by rainwater. After all, he could have tried to cash them although he would have been found out. Eventually.
I’m pretty sure the checks’ owner had already reported the matter to the bank the moment he or she noticed that they were missing and had them canceled. I mean, that would have been the logical thing to do.
Unless, of course, the checks were deliberately discarded. Then whoever tried to cash them would have gone home empty-handed. That is, if the bank hadn’t reported the person to authorities although I’m not sure if trying to cash in a “pay to cash” check was against the law.
At any rate, Feraniel probably thought their owner would be looking for them – I mean, P1.1 million is P1.1 million -- and collected the checks. One by one. All 14 of them.
He then turned them over to his field supervisor who turned the checks over to the Team office.
The owner was traced, either relieved at the discovery of the missing checks or embarrassed that Team personnel actually went out of their way to pick up what he or she had thought had thrown away.
For going the extra mile, Feraniel received a certificate of recognition for his deed from Mayor Jonas Cortes on Monday, Oct. 26.
Some cash or a bagful of goodies or even a 25-kilo sack of rice would have been more helpful considering we are living in distressed times, but I’m sure Feraniel could have the certificate framed and he could hang it in his living room or his bathroom, wherever he likes. That would be entirely up to him.
Not that he was expecting anything in return, mind you. For him, it was all in a day’s work.
Feraniel did tell SunStar Cebu that he was surprised by the turn of events. Thirteen years working as a traffic enforcer, rain or shine, having to withstand all that dust and fumes from hundreds if not thousands of vehicles every day, and this was the first time he was recognized.
His field supervisor said Feraniel’s deed “will serve as a good example to his colleagues to be honest and truthful whether at home or at work.” Indeed.