SWIFT ACTION. Security Screening Officer Joseph Mateo (right) immediately requested a CCTV review after seeing a wallet left behind in the initial security checkpoint at the Iloilo International Airport on Jan. 13, 2024. The passenger (face blurred as he apparently requested anonymity) was able to get his wallet containing PHP60,000 on the same day. (Photo courtesy of Kim Marquez)
MANILA – A security screening officer recently returned a wallet with PHP60,000 left behind by a passenger at the Iloilo International Airport, the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) reported on Monday.
OTS Spokesperson Kim Marquez told the Philippine News Agency the wallet was left on a tray after a male Cebu-bound passenger underwent screening procedure last Jan. 13.
Marquez said the owner, who requested anonymity, was able to retrieve the wallet along with various identification cards in it, on the same day.
Based on the OTS report, screening officer Joseph Mateo found the wallet and requested a CCTV review to identify the owner.
It can be noted, however, that based on the OTS rules, screening personnel are not allowed to leave the area and should wait for the concerned passenger to return. If no one claims a left-behind item, the personnel should turn it over to the airport's Lost and Found section.
Marquez clarified that Mateo's designation is security screening officer, but he was serving as a Shift in Charge.
"The Shift in Charge is not part of the screening team. They are the ones who coordinate with other agencies when needed, and oversees the screening operations during their shift," Marquez explained.
In a statement, OTS officer-in-charge Jose Briones Jr. commended the personnel's honesty and integrity.
"Mateo's actions serve as a shining example of the dedication and professionalism exhibited by the OTS airport screeners," he said. (PNA)
