A driver from Bacolod City returned on Wednesday a wallet that contained about P100,000 in cash left in his taxi the day before by a Filipino doctor based in the United States.

Dr. Marden Lacuesta who lives in Ohio told the DAILY STAR that he rode the taxi of Oscar Bayot of Purok Riverside in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod, at San Juan Street at about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Lacuesta said he only noticed his wallet which contained $2,000 and P17,000 cash missing after he get down from the taxi. He prayed that it would be returned and the following day, he got a call from Bayot informing him that he found his wallet in his taxi, Lacuesta said.

Lacuesta, who used to work at the Bacolod Doctor's Hospital before he left for Ohio in 1970, said he was not worried that his wallet would not be returned because he still believes that there are honest drivers in Bacolod.

His wallet was important to him not only because of the money and the documents it contained, but because it has the pictures of his two daughters, who are also both doctors, his son, who is a recording engineer and his two grandchildren, he added.

He rewarded Bayot for his honesty but would not reveal how much it was, saying that “the amount is not important, what matters most is the person's honesty”.

He hopes other drivers will emulate the honesty of Bayot, Lacuesta said, adding “May his tribe increase”.

Bayot's youngest daughter , Aubrey Ann, 20, said her father, who has been a taxi driver for more than 25 years, has always been honest.

She said there were a lot of instances when her father's passengers left their belongings in his taxi but he always returned them.

Aubrey said she, her four sisters and brother are proud of their father's honesty and hope that other drivers are like him.*APN

back to top