MANILA, Philippines — An airport security guard at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport earned praise for returning unaccounted baggage containing P1.9 million worth of jewelry.
Manila International Airport Authority officer-in-charge Bryan Co lauded Mahmud Mastul, 34 for setting a good example to his colleagues at NAIA.
READ: Naia guard returns baggage with almost P2-million worth of valuables
“Mr. Mastul’s display of honesty by promptly reporting the incident not only sets a good example to his colleagues but also proves that our efforts to promote integrity and professionalism among airport workers is gaining ground from all levels of service,” Co said.
Mastul, who has worked in NAIA for seven years, said he did not hesitate to return the lost items to their rightful owner.
“You should not take interest in something that is not yours. That item must be returned to the rightful owner,” Mastul was quoted as saying.
“What matters to me is that I returned everything completely. That’s all,” he further added.
Mastul noticed a suitcase in the arrival greeters area while he was doing his duty rounds at NAIA Terminal 1 on Friday.
This discovery prompted Mastul to contact the airport police, who surrendered the items to the airport’s lost and found section.
After taking account of the items inside the suitcase, the authorities contacted the owner, who went back to the airport to claim his belongings after ownership was established.