CEBU CITY, Philippines – Days after losing the money and then finding it in the hands of authorities, money changer Emiliano Tanpin finally received the US $20,500 that was turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI 7) by two scavengers in Cebu City’s landfill.Tanpin presented to the NBI 7 documents proving his ownership of dollar bills that were placed in a sack and mistakenly disposed of by his maid outside his home. The money, roughly equivalent to P3 million, was found by scavengers, some of whom spent a certain amount to buy food for them. Tanpin presented to NBI 7 agents a Certificate of Registration from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) certificate, a mayor’s permit and a joint affidavit of ownership. NBI-7 agent Bernard dela Cruz said these documents proved Tanpin’s ownership of the money. “Mahirap na kapag hindi namin ibigay tapos nagbigay na siya ng basic evidence. (It’s difficult if we don’t give the money when he had already presented a proof of ownership),” he said. He said that if there are other claimants, they can show Tanpin’s joint affidavit of ownership. In his joint affidavit, Tanpin said he and his wife Rossana own the Cebu Twin Dragon Marketing Corp. in Calamba, Cebu City. He said their company is registered as a foreign exchange dealer and money changer. Tanpin said they owned the $60,000 cash found in the Inayawan landfill on November 26. Dela Cruz said they talked with Tanpin about the possibility of giving a reward to Victoria Candido and July Compuesto who turned over the money, but Tanpin declined to reply. The 26-year-old Compuesto, the half brother of Napoleon Ursabia, returned 170 pieces of 100 dollar denominations to the NBI-7 last week. Shortly after Compuesto handed the money to the NBI-7, his aunt Victoria Candido also returned 35 pieces of 100 dollar denominations to Barangay (village) Inayawan Captain Rostico Ignacio at the Inayawan barangay hall. Ursabia found the sack of money at the landfill site. Compuesto told Cebu Daily News that he returned the money to the NBI-7 because he wanted to clear his conscience.
He said Ursabia is still afraid to return for fear of what the NBI-7 may do to him. Ursabia’s wife went to Inayawan to sell a piglet for their expenses. Candido said Ursabia may return after everything is cleared up. “Nalipay mi kay nakatabang mi sa tag-iya kay kahibaw mi unsa kalisud and kinabuhi karon (We are happy to help Tanpin because we know how difficult life is today),” she said. She said that in the event a similar incident happens in the landfill she would not return the money unless someone looks for it. /Correspondent Ador V. Mayol | 
