Police aide finds, returns P98,000 check to owner

MANILA, Philippines — A civilian employee will be commended for immediately reporting a check he picked up inside the Quezon City Police District headquarters on Wednesday.

The check turned out to be in the name of a police official, who had been granted a loan for his child’s tuition.

“I am working hard and honestly for my children. I have no interest in things that are not mine since I am earning a living anyway,” said police aide Michael Rafael, 30.

Rafael, who helps out at the office of the QCPD director, Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, was lauded for returning a check he found at the QCPD building.

The check was turned over to its owner, Inspector Romeo Mata of the Tactical Motorized Unit, who lost it while on official errands.

Albano said Rafael would be formally awarded with a commendation next Monday.

“We should all emulate his example in working hard and being honest,” the official said.

Rafael has four children with his wife Marian, also a police aide at the office of the deputy director for operations, Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana.

He has been working at the QCPD for the past seven years. In February, he found and returned Lipana’s cellphone when he left it behind in an office.

“Should it happen again, I would return anything, cash or check, since I am earning a living for my children anyway,” he said.

Rafael found Mata’s check lying on at the second floor of the QCPD building at around 1 p.m. Wednesday upon returning from an errand.

As he was walking up the stairs, he noticed a rectangular piece of paper lying on the stairs and picked it up.

It turned out to be a P98,000 check in Mata’s name, who had just acquired a loan for his children’s tuition.

Mata said he last saw the check when he inserted it in a logbook as he went to the Tactical Operations Center to photocopy a document.

Upon picking up the check, Rafael surrendered it to his office, which then contacted Mata to tell him that his check has been found.

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