FOR showing that honesty is indeed still their best policy, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Friday lauded a policeman who returned a bag containing the P80,000 cash of an Aeta couple in Capas, Tarlac.

Police Staff Sergeant Bernard Dalisay had found the bag near their station where it was inadvertently lost by Bernadet and Mateo Balintay.

The couple said they saved the money from selling banana blossoms for 12 years.

However, Bernadet fell asleep behind the police station while waiting for the public market to open and lost the bag.

The two searched for the bag but to no avail until SSgt. Dalisay found it.

At first, the police officer thought the bag merely contained garbage but, upon checking, discovered that it contained cash.

The policeman tried his luck and went to the market to look for the bag’s owner but nobody claimed the item.

After bringing it to the police station , SSgt. Dalisay and his colleagues found Mateo’s identification card with a written address inside the bag, prompting them to go to the couple’s residence. The couple, however, was not around.

Not giving up, Dalisay proceeded to the mayor’s office and had the Balintays summoned there.

It was at the mayor’s office where the Balintays met Dalisay who returned the bag and the money to the grateful Aeta couple.

According to Gen. Eleazar, Dalisay chose to be honest despite the crisis which adversely affected the livelihood of many individuals.

“Alam naman natin na hindi madali ang panahon ngayon dahil sa epekto ng pandemya. Nakatataba ng puso dahil ang pulis na ito, piniling maging tapat sa kanyang tungkulin at hindi nagpasilaw sa halaga ng pera na kanyang napulot,” he said.

It was the latest act of honesty and good deed shown by members of the police force this week.

“I encourage other police officers to follow the example of PSSgt. Dalisay who managed to spell out the true meaning of honesty and integrity amid the challenging times we are facing,” Gen. Eleazar said.