Stolen or hard-earned? Homeless woman’s P73,990 baffles village execs

MANILA, Philippines—Stolen or hard-earned?

Barangay (village) Bagumbayan officials in Taguig City were left baffled by a homeless woman wandering on the streets and found carrying a large amount of cash in her bag.

In a television report, a 54-year-old woman who claims she is from Malibay, Pasay City was found by Bagumbayan health workers roaming around with a blank stare and pulling a bag, with bills and coins worth P73,990 inside.

Remedios Tenorio, a village health worker, said that the woman was identified as Carmelita Bernasor.

In the report, Bernasor said her money, originally kept in a piggy bank, was her earnings after three decades of selling on the streets.

‎She said she was supposed to put her money “in good hands.”

Tenorio said they saw Bernasor ‎wandering and offered to take her to the Barangay (village) Bagumbayan hall.

When the health worker offered to get the vagrant’s clothes in her bag, she found bills and coins stuffed in a pillowcase.

The money inside the pillowcase, which consisted mostly of P20 and P1000 bills, totaled to P73,990.

‎Bagumbayan barangay chairman Gie Concepcion said Bernasor will remain under their custody while her money will be turned over to the village treasurer for safe-keeping.