Lawmaker gets her P102k back, thanks to airport worker

Valiente Namion and the money he found at Naia Terminal 1 on Friday. —MIAA PHOTO

An airport worker earned praise on Friday for returning about P102,000 in cash that was left behind at the terminal.

The owner who got her money back turned out to be Nueva Ecija Rep. Magnolia Rosa Antonino.

Around 5 a.m. on Friday, Valiente Namion, a wheelchair attendant, found a pouch in a pushcart at the arrival area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal I.

Officials said Namion immediately brought the pouch to the Lost and Found Section of the Manila International Airport Authority-Intelligence and Investigation Division (MIAA-AIID).

It was only then that the pouch was opened and its contents were found to be belonging to Antonino.

AIID investigators said the pouch also contained ATM and credit cards that helped them get in touch with the congresswoman.

Antonino’s staff member, Wendell Tagapulot, later came to retrieve the items. He said his boss left the pouch at Naia when she fetched her granddaughter who arrived from Los Angeles.

Namion is employed by the Integrated Workers Services Cooperative.