Philippine History : The Legend of Yamashita's Treasure

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Are you one of those people who believed in Yamashita Treasure? Are you one of those who want to see the Yamashita Treasure and be the richest person on earth? Well, this is your chance!If you will find the Yamashita Treasure, you will surely become rich. Yes, you heard it right! You will become rich! But there are questions about the treasure – Who Yamashita really is? Is it really true?Before we think about being rich, let us first go back in our history and on when and how this story about the treasure truly began.

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The search for Yamashita's Treasure by the whole world has already reached five decades. Let us begin our story with former president the late Ferdinand E. Marcos. Do you know why? Because it is said that the Yamashita's Treasure is the reason why the Marcos family became rich.

According to Military historian Prof. Bernard Karganilla, before the declaration of Martial Law, it is said that Marcos has found a hidden treasure that served as their wealth's sources. Because of this, a lot local and foreign treasure hunters have searched for this infamous treasure. It is said that the treasure is buried in a mountain, although it's exact whereabouts have not been disclosed to the public.

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In one book "Believe It or Not: The Facts, The Background, and The Process of the Greatest Loot in History" by Charlie Avilla, a staunch critic of President Marcos. It stated that even when the time Ferdinand was courting Imelda (now his wife/widow) said he brought the young woman to a bank that is filled with an enormous amount of gold.

According to Professor Xiao Chua (History Professor at DLSU) it is said that Ferdinand Marcos was already rich even before he became president. And the sources of of his wealth was this gold of the Japanese that was said to be Yamashita's Treasure that he found.

But the big question is ? What is Yamashita's Treasure? Who is Mr. Yamashita?

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According to the study , Tomoyuko Yamashita was a brilliant military strategist. He was a popular figure in history. In fact he was branded the "Tiger of Malaya". This due to the fact that he played a key role in the downfall of the British Empire in Southeast Asia.

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His adept combat strategic planning has already been tried and tested in the stealing of wealth from all of the places in Asia that they have occupied. All of the amassed wealth from Brunei, Singapore, and Thailand were mixed together and brought here in the Philippines.

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It is said that there are many sites or places where the treasure is buried here in the Philippines like caves. And in one of the many treasure maps that were made, it is stated that there are 172 sites where Yamashita's wealth is buried. 138 are buried underground and 34 were buried in the ocean.

But in reality, it is imposible to have 172 burial sites.Even in the time that General Yamashita surrendered in the Philippines in 1944. When the Japanese forces in the Philippines fell. So the question of many historians is: When can they find time to dig and bury their treasure?

And Prof Jose Custodio added by saying: "I will not discount the fact that the Japanese has this kind of treasure. But about the 172 burial sites, then that I am not sure of."

Real or hoax, the news has wings. And when World War 2 ended it was hard to dispell news of the buried treasure of the Japanese.

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Year 1971, after a decade of searching, a certain Rogelio Roxas found of the Japanese' buried treasure that was called Yamashita's Treasure in Baguio. And it was sure that this came from the Japanese because the Japanese themselves pointed where it is buried.

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Included in the discovery was a Golden Buddha that was 3 feet tall and weighed 2000 lbs.The said gold was placed under intense scrutiny and it was known to have 22 karat gold or 92% gold. And it is said inside it was a bulk of diamonds.

And when news of Rogelio Roxas found the gold, it was e
immediately searched by Ferdinand Marcos' men and took the said gold.

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But sir Roxas didn't budge. When Ferdinand Marcos was ousted and exiled to Hawaii. He filed a class suit in an American court.The case went through a horrible process. Until the court in Hawaii finally announced its verdict. Rogelio Roxas discovered that President Marcos' men stole the golden buddha.

There were rumors spreading that Yamashita's Treasure was just a coverup to explain the Marcoses overwhelming wealth.

In 1992 in the newspaper Manila Bulletin, Imelda Marcos revealed that their wealth really came from the Japanese. Others suspected that this was a defense strategy to escape questions of them being impossibly rich.

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In 1966, when he was still president, his SALN stated that he had 189,000 pesos worth of wealth according to Prof. Xiao Chua.

And the reason why Yamashita's legend rose is to make us believe that this justifies the unexplained wealth of the Marcoses.This was just a coverup for their ill gotten gold in the Central Bank. That was said it is being melted and marked with Japanese characters to make it say that it really came from the Japanese.

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Another issue raised by historians about the story of the Yamashita's Treasure. Is why would they make a map pointing to the place where they buried the treasure.?

So many questions than answers. So the issue of Yamashita's Treasure will not stop. And that it is only a form of urban legend. I ask myself, is it possible that the Japanese really have a hidden treasure in the Philippines?

But for me ,Its possible that there is really a buried treasure. But its not Yamashita's gold. And unlike the rumors its not as many as we imagine it to be.

Real or hoax, the speculations will continue. First and foremost this is gold. And when it is said that this is gold, this is sure money that will awe us with delight.

If this is only a myth or a strategy of those who are in power.All i wanted to know is what does it symbolized or implicate with regards to us being Filipino?
We should always remember and think that maybe this is just like the food that we feed simply because we are hungry.
So may this be a lesson to us that we should not believe right away to the words that other may say.

Thank you for stopping by steemitians. :) :)

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Reference :

https://www.historicmysteries.com/yamashitas-gold/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4093712/Yamashita-Treasure-hidden-Japanese-soldiers-uncovered-Philippines-WWII.html
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/yamashitas-gold-enormous-war-treasure-hoard-remains-elusive-007246