Cebuano returns money, docs to Norwegian

CEBU, Philippines - A Cebuano returned a big amount of money and some valuable documents to a Norwegian who left an envelope in a restroom in one of the malls in Mandaue City.

 Noel Jonathan Quinain, 28 years old, a resident of Dimpas upper Labogon, Mandaue City, was able to return P48,750 and some important belongings to Norwegian James Alen Norwich just before the latter left the Philippines for his home country.

 Quinain was on leave from work on July 8 to 9 so he could process his passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs located at the Pacific Mall in Mandaue City.

 He went to the mall at 4:30 in the morning to get his priority number and got one but he was told by the DFA personnel to return at 11 am for his appointment. He went back during his assigned time slot but he was not entertained right away.

While waiting at around 1:20 pm, he went to the restroom where he saw a sealed brown envelope containing the cash and valuable documents.

 Scared and confused on what to do next, he immediately approached the guard-on-duty for assistance but unfortunately the guard was not helpful and just continued calling out applicants.

 Quinain went up and down the escalator on each floor of Pacific Mall to find the envelope’s owner but he was not able to find Norwich. He tried calling the contact number of Norwich which was written in one of the documents but the number could not be reached.

 Recalling news reports of a man allegedly killed by a department store’s guard after being accused of stealing, he decided to keep the envelope with him.

 The following day or July 10, at exactly 10:08 am in the morning, he called again the mobile number of Norwich and fortunately he was able to communicate with the foreigner. They agreed to meet at the 4th floor of Pacific Mall so he can return the money and the documents to Norwich.

 When they met, he did not give the money and the items right away, as he verified first all the necessary details to prove that the man he was meeting was the rightful owner. Norwich was able to answer all Quinain’s questions on what the brown envelope contained and their details.

 After proving himself, Norwich received the envelope with the money.

They then went to the authorities so the incident could be recorded in the police blotter. They narrated the events to Mandaue Police Station 1’s PO2 David Umambac and other officers.

 That day, the company that Quinain works for considered him absent from work because his supervisor did not authorize his absence.

“I didn’t regret what I have done for others… I believe I have done what is right without any remorse or hesitation,” said Quinain. — (FREEMAN)