A TRAFFIC enforcement officer in Lapu-Lapu City turned over P20,000 in cash that he found in Barangay Poblacion on Tuesday morning, May 20, 2025.
Mervin Durango Legarte, who has been an employee of the City Traffic Management System since 2019, discovered the money composed of P1,000 bills secured with an elastic band, at around 6:40 a.m. in the vicinity of the public market.
Seeing no source of identification, Legarte decided to promptly surrendered the cash to Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan to ensure its safekeeping and to help facilitate its return to the rightful owner.
The 44-year-old told reporters that, despite having a sibling who is currently hospitalized, it never crossed his mind to keep the money.
He said he understood the pain of losing such a large amount and believed the owner must be worried about the lost cash.
“Happy kaayo na makatabang ta nila kung unsay mawala na gamit, gaan kaayo sa imong huna-huna na makatabang ta nila,” said Legarte.
This is the third time Legarte has returned lost items. The first was P4,000 in cash along with important documents and the second was a mobile phone owned by a doctor.
Legarte said that if someone comes to claim the money, the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area can be reviewed to determine whether the person is truly the owner.
Chan, in a separate interview, said that his office will wait for a claimant to come forward. A series of questions will be asked to verify that if the individual is indeed the owner of the money, he added. / DPC