Badian schoolgirl returns P50,000

CEBU, Philippines - In a commendable act of selflessness, a nine-year-old girl handed over to authorities the P50,000 she found in her school in Badian town yesterday. The money was believed to be part of the loot from a robbery in Lapu-Lapu City earlier this week.

Kathlene Taypin, a Grade 3 student of the Malhiao Elementary School, was on her way to the comfort room when she came upon a huge bundle of P500 bills.

Instead of keeping the money for herself as others might do, Kathlene called her friends and they decided to tell their adviser Geraldine Nepumoceno about the find. Nepumoceno went to the place where the money was found and brought it to their classroom.

The money was counted in the presence of Nepomuceno, school officer-in-charge Aurelia Canseko and Malhiao barangay captain Floro Raboy and some of his councilmen. It amounted to P50,000.

The money was then turned over to the Badian police. Cebu Provincial Police Office director Sr. Supt. Erson Digal thanked Kathlene for handing over the money. Digal said that the money might be part of the loot from the robbery of a spa in Lapu-Lapu City last Wednesday.

Digal said that the day before Kathlene found the money, police from the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station contacted the Badian Police Station regarding a certain Heracleo Palagteosa, alias “Ricky”, a resident of Malhiao and a possible suspect in the robbery. Police said that the robbers might have left the said money in the school while they were hiding. Over P1 million was reportedly taken during the robbery.

Investigators from Lapu-Lapu City are still in Badian town, following up on leads in the robbery. Badian, located in the southwest, is around 80 kilometers from Lapu-Lapu City

Governor Gwen Garcia said that she was so proud of Kathlene and praised her parents and teachers for teaching her well. She also said that she will consider giving Kathlene commendation for the good thing she did. —/BRP (FREEMAN)