Yamashitas treasure

Recommended Posts

bastonjock
Posted
Posted

Has anyone heard about the treasure tgat has allegedly been left in the Philippines by the Japanese army ?

Ive been trying to work out why there are some holes that have been dug on my plot , it would appear that individuals at some point have been convinced that the aforementioned treasure has been buried in rhem thar hills around mount apo ,its not just my plot either ,others have these strange holes 

I googled it all and theres an intetesting story and ledgend about a Japanese general call yamashita andva vast wealth of loot stolen from the countries that japan invaded duringWW2 

Gf now wants me to buy a metal detector :shades:

  • Like 1
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dave Hounddriver
Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, bastonjock said:

Has anyone heard about the treasure

You may be the only person who lived in Philippines without hearing about it.  Dang it.  Now EVERYBODY knows :hystery:

  • Like 2
  • Love it 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OnMyWay
Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

You may be the only person who lived in Philippines without hearing about it.  Dang it.  Now EVERYBODY knows :hystery:

What's left of the treasure is in Luzon.  I know where it is but I am waiting until I need some money to go get some more.

Seriously, I had not read before about this real case involving the treasure.  Very interesting!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamashita's_gold

Rogelio Roxas lawsuit
In March 1988, a Filipino treasure hunter named Rogelio Roxas filed a lawsuit in the state of Hawaii against the former president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda Marcos for theft and human rights abuses. Roxas claimed that in Baguio City in 1961 he met the son of a former member of the Japanese army who mapped for him the location of the legendary Yamashita Treasure. Roxas claimed a second man, who served as Yamashita's interpreter during the Second World War, told him of visiting an underground chamber there where stores of gold and silver were kept, and who told of a golden buddha kept at a convent located near the underground chambers. Roxas claimed that within the next few years he formed a group to search for the treasure, and obtained a permit for the purpose from a relative of Ferdinand, Judge Pio Marcos. In 1971, Roxas claimed, he and his group uncovered an enclosed chamber on state lands near Baguio City where he found bayonets, samurai swords, radios, and skeletal remains dressed in a Japanese military uniform. Also found in the chamber, Roxas claimed, were a 3-foot-high (0.91 m) golden-colored Buddha and numerous stacked crates which filled an area approximately 6 feet x 6 feet x 35 feet. He claimed he opened just one of the boxes, and found it packed with gold bullion. He said he took from the chamber the golden Buddha, which he estimated to weigh 1,000 kilograms, and one box with twenty-four gold bars, and hid them in his home. He claimed he resealed the chamber for safekeeping until he could arrange the removal of the remaining boxes, which he suspected were also filled with gold bars. Roxas said he sold seven of the gold bars from the opened box, and sought potential buyers for the golden Buddha. Two individuals representing prospective buyers examined and tested the metal in the Buddha, Roxas said, and reported it was made of solid, 20-carat gold. It was soon after this, Roxas claimed, that President Ferdinand Marcos learned of Roxas' discovery and ordered him arrested, beaten, and the Buddha and remaining gold seized. Roxas alleged that in retaliation to his vocal campaign to reclaim the Buddha and the remainder of the treasure taken from him, Ferdinand continued to have Roxas threatened, beaten and eventually incarcerated for over a year.[4]

Following his release, Roxas put his claims against Marcos on hold until Ferdinand lost the presidency in 1986. But in 1988, Roxas and the Golden Budha Corporation, which now held the ownership rights to the treasure Roxas claims was stolen from him, filed suit against Ferdinand and wife Imelda in a Hawaiian state court seeking damages for the theft and the surrounding human rights abuses committed against Roxas. Roxas died on the eve of trial,[11] but prior to his death he gave the deposition testimony that would be later used in evidence. In 1996, the Roxas estate and the Golden Budha Corporation received what was then-largest judgment ever awarded in history, $22 billion which with interest increased to $40.5 billion.[12] In 1998, The Hawaii Supreme Court held that there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding that Roxas found the treasure and that Marcos converted it. However, the court reversed the damage award, holding that the $22 billion award of damages for the chamber full of gold was too speculative, as there was no evidence of quantity or quality, and ordered a new hearing on the value of the golden Buddha and 17 bars of gold only.[4] After several more years of legal proceedings, the Golden Budha Corporation obtained a final judgment against Imelda Marcos to the extent of her interest in the Marcos estate in the principal amount of $13,275,848.37 and Roxas’ estate obtained a $6 million judgment on the claim for human right abuse.[13]

This lawsuit ultimately concluded that Roxas found a treasure, and although the Hawaiian state court was not required to determine whether this particular treasure was the legendary Yamashita’s gold, the testimony relied upon by the court in reaching its conclusion pointed in that direction. Roxas was allegedly following a map from the son of a Japanese soldier; Roxas allegedly relied on tips provided from Yamashita’s interpreter; and Roxas allegedly found samurai swords and the skeletons of dead Japanese soldiers in the treasure chamber. All this led the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal to summarize the allegations leading to Roxas’ final judgment as follows: "The Yamashita Treasure was found by Roxas and stolen from Roxas by Marcos' men."[14]

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

bastonjock
Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

What's left of the treasure is in Luzon.  I know where it is but I am waiting until I need some money to go get some more.

Seriously, I had not read before about this real case involving the treasure.  Very interesting!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamashita's_gold

Rogelio Roxas lawsuit
In March 1988, a Filipino treasure hunter named Rogelio Roxas filed a lawsuit in the state of Hawaii against the former president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda Marcos for theft and human rights abuses. Roxas claimed that in Baguio City in 1961 he met the son of a former member of the Japanese army who mapped for him the location of the legendary Yamashita Treasure. Roxas claimed a second man, who served as Yamashita's interpreter during the Second World War, told him of visiting an underground chamber there where stores of gold and silver were kept, and who told of a golden buddha kept at a convent located near the underground chambers. Roxas claimed that within the next few years he formed a group to search for the treasure, and obtained a permit for the purpose from a relative of Ferdinand, Judge Pio Marcos. In 1971, Roxas claimed, he and his group uncovered an enclosed chamber on state lands near Baguio City where he found bayonets, samurai swords, radios, and skeletal remains dressed in a Japanese military uniform. Also found in the chamber, Roxas claimed, were a 3-foot-high (0.91 m) golden-colored Buddha and numerous stacked crates which filled an area approximately 6 feet x 6 feet x 35 feet. He claimed he opened just one of the boxes, and found it packed with gold bullion. He said he took from the chamber the golden Buddha, which he estimated to weigh 1,000 kilograms, and one box with twenty-four gold bars, and hid them in his home. He claimed he resealed the chamber for safekeeping until he could arrange the removal of the remaining boxes, which he suspected were also filled with gold bars. Roxas said he sold seven of the gold bars from the opened box, and sought potential buyers for the golden Buddha. Two individuals representing prospective buyers examined and tested the metal in the Buddha, Roxas said, and reported it was made of solid, 20-carat gold. It was soon after this, Roxas claimed, that President Ferdinand Marcos learned of Roxas' discovery and ordered him arrested, beaten, and the Buddha and remaining gold seized. Roxas alleged that in retaliation to his vocal campaign to reclaim the Buddha and the remainder of the treasure taken from him, Ferdinand continued to have Roxas threatened, beaten and eventually incarcerated for over a year.[4]

Following his release, Roxas put his claims against Marcos on hold until Ferdinand lost the presidency in 1986. But in 1988, Roxas and the Golden Budha Corporation, which now held the ownership rights to the treasure Roxas claims was stolen from him, filed suit against Ferdinand and wife Imelda in a Hawaiian state court seeking damages for the theft and the surrounding human rights abuses committed against Roxas. Roxas died on the eve of trial,[11] but prior to his death he gave the deposition testimony that would be later used in evidence. In 1996, the Roxas estate and the Golden Budha Corporation received what was then-largest judgment ever awarded in history, $22 billion which with interest increased to $40.5 billion.[12] In 1998, The Hawaii Supreme Court held that there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding that Roxas found the treasure and that Marcos converted it. However, the court reversed the damage award, holding that the $22 billion award of damages for the chamber full of gold was too speculative, as there was no evidence of quantity or quality, and ordered a new hearing on the value of the golden Buddha and 17 bars of gold only.[4] After several more years of legal proceedings, the Golden Budha Corporation obtained a final judgment against Imelda Marcos to the extent of her interest in the Marcos estate in the principal amount of $13,275,848.37 and Roxas’ estate obtained a $6 million judgment on the claim for human right abuse.[13]

This lawsuit ultimately concluded that Roxas found a treasure, and although the Hawaiian state court was not required to determine whether this particular treasure was the legendary Yamashita’s gold, the testimony relied upon by the court in reaching its conclusion pointed in that direction. Roxas was allegedly following a map from the son of a Japanese soldier; Roxas allegedly relied on tips provided from Yamashita’s interpreter; and Roxas allegedly found samurai swords and the skeletons of dead Japanese soldiers in the treasure chamber. All this led the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal to summarize the allegations leading to Roxas’ final judgment as follows: "The Yamashita Treasure was found by Roxas and stolen from Roxas by Marcos' men."[14]

No point in me buying a detector then ,:-(

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted (edited)

My wife, while we were residing in the Philippine, would be approached by strangers asking her to translate Japanese manuscripts into English. They were supposedly maps showing the location of Yamashita's treasure. Most were handwritten copies of copies done by individuals who were not familiar with calligraphy. They were impossible to read. Besides, written and spoken Japanese before WWII was very different.

What was more intriguing for us were accounts in Japanese historical manuscripts about a Japanese settlement in Luzon for an Imperial prince. At the time, twins were considered a bad omen. So the second child was sent away into exile accompanied by retainers and household staff. There is a church alongside Laguna Bay that has wood panels with the imperial family logo. We thought it could be a possible location for the settlement because a large lake was part of the description. Experts from the University of the Philippines claim that skilled Japanese artisans were sometimes hired to build churches. They associated the idea of a Christian god with the god like status of the Imperial family. Thus, the reason for the use of the logo. Story goes that the Imperial prince died and was buried in the Philippines. Included with the burial were all kinds of treasure. The remaining retainers and household staff were permitted to return to Japan.

Interesting footnote. British forces had invaded the Philippines which included troops from India. On their withdrawal, a unit was cut-off in a town east of Manila. The Indian soldiers were captured and imprisoned for several years before being released to the general population. Away from home with no chance of returning to India, the soldiers married locals. About 50 years ago, the town of Cainta was well known for "Sepoys" or Filipinos of Indian descent. The men were thin, tall with a prominent Adam's apple. (Nothing to do with Japanese treasures in the Philippines.)

Edited by JJReyes
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JDDavao II
Posted
Posted

Being from Davao where the Japanese tunnels are, I have a friend who sold me a map very cheaply as he needed to pay for the care of his sick child.

If you are willing to fund the dig, I will split the proceeds with you 60/40. 

By the way, my real name is Masinga Mbeki and I am a Prince of the First Cast of Nigeria.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gary D
Posted
Posted

Wasn't the story just made up by Marcos to hide the money he was looting away so that it looked like he came by the money after finding the treasure......in fort knox.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bastonjock
Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, JDDavao said:

Being from Davao where the Japanese tunnels are, I have a friend who sold me a map very cheaply as he needed to pay for the care of his sick child.

If you are willing to fund the dig, I will split the proceeds with you 60/40. 

By the way, my real name is Masinga Mbeki and I am a Prince of the First Cast of Nigeria.

Well as im just up the hill from you in Alambre ,perhaps we could come to a deal  ,ive got a buddywho keeps  sending me e-mails about millions that im owed:thumbsup:

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJReyes
Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Rogelio Roxas lawsuit

I recall having discussions with friends about this story and the Rogelio Roxas claim. We thought it was a little bit suspicious that the treasure he found included a 1,000 kilogram Golden Buddha. That's 2,200 pounds and it would be difficult to bring into a jungle area and later carry it out. The religion in the Philippines is either Catholic or Muslim. There were no Buddhists.  The explanation that the Golden Buddha was brought into the country from Burma also does not make sense. It would have been shipped directly to Japan where the population is a combination Shinto/Buddhist.

Gold and silver coins I could believe. The coins in circulation at the time were silver. Gold bullion is unlikely because the only one who had them was the Central Bank. The entire Philippine treasury had been smuggled out using US submarines. The subs were ferrying ammunition to Bataan and later Corregidor. The ammo served as ballast. For the return journey to Australia, the ballast used was gold bullion and silver coins.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...