Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday called in SWAT  (Special Weapons and Tactics) cops to open a mysterious balikbayan box sent to him.

The box was sent by a Joe G. Baltazar of Long Beach, California, through 4A’s Cargo Services to the vice governor, but Lacson said he did not know the person who sent it.

When the box was opened by the SWAT team, clothes, plates, coffee, tea, sugar and other food were found in it.

The vice governor said he will donate the contents of the box to the Bacolod Boy’s Home as he does not know why Baltazar sent the items to him.

The vice governor said a balikbayan box was delivered to his office at the Capitol in Bacolod City on May 9, which he brought home but never opened.

Lacson said he decided to Google who the sender was yesterday morning and Baltazar’s name, age - 83 years old, and address stated in the box came out with cellular and land line numbers. He asked his sister in the United States to call the numbers to ask the person if he indeed sent the box and why it was sent, the vice governor said.

“When my sister called the numbers the cell number was wrong and the landline numbers were disconnected,” he said, so he reported the arrival of the box to the authorities and the SWAT team came.

“Maybe he received information that the vice governor is in distress,” Lacson quipped, when asked why the box was sent to him.

He would really like to know why this box was sent to him and what it was intended for, the sender may be a Good Samaritan, Lacson said.

The vice governor said he would like to tell the sender that he will donate the contents of the box to the Boy’s Home because they can make good use of it.*CPG

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