He was arrested at once. Handcuffs. Jail bars.
Inside the cell, he cried. He was hurt. He had spent his whole life being honest, young and old alike, and this was what he got. He thought of his grandson—what would happen to Buboy now?
After a while, a man in a suit arrived.
It was Mr. Cortez, the woman’s husband.
“Evangeline! What are you doing here?” he asked.
“They caught the one who took my bag!” the woman complained. “The money is short! That garbage collector is a thief!”
Mr. Cortez looked at Mang Kanor, then turned back to his wife.
“Evangeline, drop the case,” he said firmly.
“What? Why?!”
“That old man didn’t steal anything. Because there were really only 3 million pesos in the bag.”
Evangeline turned pale.
“I withdrew 5 million,” Mr. Cortez explained, “but I left 2 million in the vault before I gave you the bag. I forgot to tell you because you were in a hurry.”
The entire station fell silent.
The woman was ashamed.
Mang Kanor was immediately released. His knees were still shaking from the trauma.
Mr. Cortez approached him, held his dirty hands, and bowed in respect.
“Sir, please forgive my wife. And forgive me as well. You should have been thanked, not put through this.”
“It’s alright, sir…” Mang Kanor said with a tearful smile. “What matters is that my conscience is clean.”
“I heard your grandson is sick?” Mr. Cortez asked.
“Yes… but we leave it to God…”
Mr. Cortez picked up the bag and handed 500,000 pesos to Mang Kanor.
“This is your reward for your honesty. And I will also pay for your grandson’s operation and all his medical expenses—until he fully recovers.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Mang Kanor dropped to his knees.
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much!”
Mr. Cortez turned to his wife.
“Evangeline… look at him. This is the man you judged. A garbage collector—yet his heart is far cleaner than ours.”
Mang Kanor went home not only with his name cleared, but with new hope for his grandson’s life.
He proved that honesty, even when tested by harsh judgment,
receives a reward far greater than millions.