I approached the manager in charge and asked him what they were digging for. Andrew Gough, Learning the art of dowsing Curtis was an expert in changing the metallurgical fingerprints of gold to disguise its origins. No one disputes that the Japanese did plunder most of the Southeast Asian countries they conquered and stored some of their loot in the Philippines, which was among the last of their subjugated territories to be liberated by the Allies. Look at this tree, he abruptly proclaimed, stopping us dead in our tracks. The Japanese gold heist, however, would dwarf the earlier Nazi thefts and would be exploited by United States presidents from Truman to Trump, representing one of the greatest conspiracies of our time. He recounted one incident when he and Peggy were going for a walk down a country lane when a car crept along behind and slowly overtook them. Their car was parked at the beginning of the popular trail. While Santy had resorted to torture, Lansdale offered Major Kojima a lifeline he proposed a share of the treasure if he showed the Americans where the Japanese had hidden the gold, and within weeks Major Kojima led Santy and Lansdale to a dozen easily accessible treasure sites in and around Manila. When we opened the tunnel, air hit the sand. Okubo also confided that the General had in his possession a solid gold buddha, which he kept in the convent where he stayed, across from the hospital, before depositing it in a vault beneath the hospital grounds. As a result, experienced treasure hunters do not use explosives or, for that matter, motorised devices. Japanese armies did indeed seize valuables and plunder national treasuries of southeast Asian countries. He shared that he and his wife had their emails and phone calls monitored and had received repeated death threats. 1 Mar 2023. What could go wrong? <]>> I wondered if he was employed by the same people that had assassinated Roxas? While in Baguio, Valmores pulled out a map of the hospital treasure complex from his secret portfolio and handed it to Roxas. Cheatham was obsessed with legends of Yamashitas gold and frequently visited Baguio in search of Japanese artefacts. Others shared how he had ever so slightly removed their eyeballs, cleaned them, and put them back, fully restoring their vision in the process. Despite numerous eyewitnesses and various first-hand accounts, most historians doubted the existence of the Black Eagle Trust, let alone the buried treasure hoards, and so I travelled to the Philippines to investigate the story for myself. Andrew Gough. Fuchigami hastily reconstructed the map from memory and provided Roxas with a copy. Absolutely not, the healer said. The Japanese constructed their subterranean treasure networks with the aid of a thousand young men, mostly prisoners of war who worked three eight-hour shifts a day to create a complex series of tunnels and chambers deep underground. He pressured Santy for information about the sites he had found and wanted him to turn over his bank accounts. Those who did not kill themselves ritually would gradually suffocate, surrounded by gold bars. They had written a message that said, We have found a fine prospect. None of their valuables were taken. Dunning, B. Cancel at any time: His team went and searched and dug but never found anything. He shared that he was required by what essentially amounted to local treasure-hunting health and safety customs to hire a dowser several times a week. His mother had told him that she and his father felt honoured to have had their property chosen, and when the Japanese finished they joined in a ceremony that celebrated the completion of the project, and the sacredness of what was buried below. Andrew Gough. See Photos. How to Claim a Treasure Hunter Bounty Alive in "Red Dead Redemption". The 49-year-old American treasure hunter has cordoned off this rectangular swath of Indian Ocean in the Seychelles, and now he's somewhere 25 feet below, chiseling off chunks of granite and. Cite this article: See Photos. Families of the victims pleaded with the governor of the local area to do something. Skeptoid Podcast. Cathcart recounted how he read the GBCs plea for legal assistance with incredulity. They decided it would be fun to go on a road trip to look for the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. For weeks, nearly a dozen members of Aquinos elite presidential security guard cordoned off the entire fort to keep the treasure hunt a secret and to ensure that the government receives its rightful 75% cut of anything McDougalds group finds. His honour had spurred him to forsake the money and safety he so desperately needed. One sudden stop or turn and my head would be severed. Roxas may have been a beaten man, both literally and figuratively, but he was no fool. Lansdale could not believe his luck and promptly informed US General Douglas MacArthur, who returned to the Philippines to inspect the extraordinary discovery for himself. Ultimately, Valmores gave up forty of the lesser site maps that he had in his possession, in order to save his life. Despite the fact the Klaus always lights incense and states his intentions before descending, they have experienced the same sensation I have plus the even more disturbing impression that someone was tapping them on their shoulder. Locals commented that everyone knows to stay away from that area in the summertime because the extreme heat can be dangerous.[10]. Thats how the healer works; the sheet serves as an X-ray filter and highlights what needs to be healed. This is the basic theme of the urban legend known today as Yamashita's Gold. I never expected such a gruelling journey. For their safety I will refrain from stating where I met them, but suffice to say it was worth the journey. I had tried dowsing before with little or no success. Follow me.. If you like this programming, please become a member. Klaus dismissed his dowser, who he felt was taking advantage, and began performing the task himself. Cobra blood is thought to contain vital regenerative qualities and is said to bond the drinker to the cobra family Posing in front of the replica gold bars that Roger Roxas discovered It is that machine, he said, that has made his group so certain of the amount of buried treasure that lies beneath Ft. Santiago. Honolulu: Supreme Court of Hawaii, 1988. I had seen the photos, but they did not prepare me for the sheer enormity of the quest he was undertaking. I laid back down and thought to myself, What the hell had I just got myself into. Before hiking the final mile to the site, I was introduced to the caretaker of the land. During Fridays Senate hearing, several senators indicated that they plan to pursue criminal charges against the treasure hunters for violating an old law against desecrating national shrines, of which Ft. Santiago is one of the most famous. 56 0 obj<>stream When he had finished his verbal dissertation, which, to be fair, included some impressive insights, the director asked him some leading questions about other aspects of the story. Bob Curtis. So he headed to the location with some hiking supplies and his dog. The year was 1944, and the Japanese had spent the previous fifty years pillaging the East of their national treasures; twelve Asian countries in all. 32 0 obj <> endobj As we stood around discussing the stone and the bent tree, I noticed an elderly woman walking through the rice paddies and suggested we approach her and ask if she remembered the Japanese coming to the area. From what? They were not disciplined and were not dowsing for danger, he sternly proclaimed. Klaus had briefed me as to what the sites would be like. The old woman was sensational and described how she and her family had hidden in the hills as the Japanese processed by with an ox pulling a cart that contained what appeared to be a heavy box. But the real treasure was buried much deeper still. I was impressed and, dare I say, convinced. Andrew Gough. Are the Philippines the wealthiest nation on earth? The schoolteacher who taught here was a very cunning woman. Fortuitously, Cheatham took a photo of himself with the golden buddha. Filed under Conspiracy Theories, History & Pseudohistory, Urban Legends, Skeptoid Podcast For weeks, the government deliberately tried to keep that digging a secret. Andrew Gough. The relationship would end badly. Seagrave, S., Seagrave, P. Gold Warriors: America's Secret Recovery of Yamashita's Gold. I had felt the same energy when I was dowsing with Klaus. In 1975, Marcos turned to an American mining engineer named Robert Curtis. The initial award was $43 billion the largest civil judgement in history. I met her at Soho House and found her to be a gracious and grateful lady, albeit quite fixated on the messages that the alleged spirit of Roxas had been sharing with her. Despite his altruistic intentions (ie not wanting to risk more of the team getting injured than was necessary), this approach would prove fatal, as he did not do a very good job, and Klaus would have to reshoot the tunnel footage himself, weeks later, and with far inferior equipment. Andrew Gough, I informed the site manager that he was digging on the spot where Roger Roxas had made the most famous discovery in the history of Yamashitas gold, to which he curtly replied, Yes, I know. At a depth of approximately two hundred and twenty-five feet the Japanese had created the largest and most valuable treasure vaults. My experience with dowsers was not good. trailer What is that, I asked. Do you know about Yamashitas gold?. He explained how a team had successfully excavated a large portion of the site before a typhoon and resulting mud slide had buried years of excavation work. He was reclusive, choosing to work in private with researchers he trusted and, in recent years, he had gone completely dark. The massive collection of vaults was stacked top to bottom with row upon row of gold bars. Andrew Gough. I hung on for dear life as I precariously wrapped my 6 5 frame around the back of the passenger seat while Klaus rode shotgun. However, that's a far cry from the claim that the US filled this one with Japanese gold from the Philippines after World War II gold that we're pretty sure doesn't exist. McDougald denied that the fort has been desecrated, except for a 4-by-2-foot hole in a wall, and contends his operation is legal. Thats incredible, but tell me more. This is how wide you can dig. The bogtalay leaves were associated with an Imperial treasure, the symbolism being that while the leaves of the bogtalay tree are near its fruit, the fruit of the tunnel system are its nearby chambers and the treasure they contain. "Yamashita's Gold." In 2009, he finally decided to take a month off work to go after his dream. Thank you for your sacrifice, I mumbled awkwardly. What convinced you to take this seemingly ludicrous case? I enquired. Throughout his career in mainstream journalism, Seagrave descended deeper and deeper into conspiracy mongering. What? ; One of the best ways to earn a high chunk of money in Red Dead Redemption 2 is by High Stakes Treasure maps. Obviously, this challenge made it into the press. Eventually, Roxas and his team identified the entrance and discovered various artefacts, such as Japanese bayonets, rifles, and even a human skeleton in a Japanese uniform. Our conversation prompted me to reach out to Roxass wife and daughter. When Marcos discovered that the photo had been widely published he made the CIA pressure Cheatham into signing an affidavit certifying that the golden buddha was not gold, or else face certain death in Vietnam. Goodness knows, hes close. Klaus was already at the bottom as I made my way down slowly, cautiously, and deliberately. Explaining how the fatal cave-in happened, McDougald began to sound as if he was talking about the Temple of Doom, as well as looking the part. Perhaps he believed that other men had died from lack of survival training and that his skills at living outdoors would be enough to find the gold mines and make him a rich man. General MacArthur returns to the Philippines, General MacArthur inspecting the looted gold. Roxass wife was particularly keen to speak. They chose to go on a day when it was 46 degrees Celsius (115 F), but they didnt bring their cell phones with them. They know the Philippines well, but are unreliable on Japan and do not read Japanese. LOS ANGELES (AP) Robert Hunter, the man behind the poetic and mystical words for many of the Grateful Dead's finest songs, has died at age 78. He left clues in a poem about the location of this hidden treasure and challenged the public to find it. The director was beaming with approval. Curtis to meet privately with a . In order to protect himself from further abuse, he formed the Golden Buddha Corporation (GBC) with Felix Dacaney, a childhood friend who was living near Atlanta, and assigned his interest in the case to the GBC. The intimidating entrance to the tunnel shaft The Cultural Committee is investigating whether the search should continue. He was dazed, and yet actually excited about what he believed had caused it. If they had happened, and I had known about them, I would have punished the wrongdoers severely. Roxas escaped from his hotel and testified in front of the Senate once more, before ultimately being arrested for not appearing at the court hearing for his alleged illegal arms possession. Like myself, Klaus had spent a lifetime in the corporate world, and once served as the Marketing Manager for the Vienna Tourism Board to Southeast Asia. The sudden, tragic death of Roxas overshadowed the trial, but did not negatively impact the outcome. In another dream, Amelia said she had been contacted by Roger Roxas, who told her that Marcoss real body remained in Hawaii, where he was living after his exile from the Philippines. See Photos. This was going to happen. Beyond that is where the cyanide is hidden.. For Roxas, it was a puzzle piece he had long sought. There is every indication that this cave-in was caused by a booby trap, McDougald said, reporting the results of an investigation by his teams geologist and resident mining engineers. Johnson, C. "The Looting of Asia." 20 Nov. 2003, Volume 25, Number 22: 3-6. Even when I held the dowsing rods, they were charged. As usual, he did not want any money for his trouble. April 30, 2019 The healer, operating with nothing but his fingers In August I flew to Manila and was greeted by a group of treasure hunters, including ex-military men, who transported me to a site to the north east. Klaus extended his elbows and fixed his clenched fists against his chest. They had been in hiding in Manila, where they were awaiting word from Cathcart. But Japan needed that money badly to pay for its war effort; it would not have converted it to gold bars and sent it away to be buried. After Oihara departed, Roxas and his brother Danilo began prising the head of the golden buddha with a wooden plank and hammer to determine if it was detachable. She gave the pills to her husband, who took them and swiftly died. Many Japanese soldiers and engineers involved in the project were also sealed inside the tunnels in order to keep them from revealing the location. One day, he got into his car and drove away. Andrew Gough. Luis Mendoza: a Filipino goldsmith who had examined the golden buddha on behalf of Roxas and drilled holes in its neck to obtain the powder necessary to confirm that the statue was, in fact, 22 carat gold. 0000007779 00000 n She said that the second NDE had occurred relatively recently, when an elderly man had accelerated his car into her, while she was crossing an intersection, when he should have braked. A love of China and its people ran deep in young Sterling's blood. He never came back. Many were husbands and fathers who had traveled in hopes of providing for their families back home. This was the result Marcos had been waiting for. I had delivered Discovered Science a sensational story, one that would feature Klauss network premier. He had opened me up with only his hands, and now his fingers were inside me. 0000010608 00000 n We said goodbye to Henry and headed out for lunch. A STEM-focused 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit. Could these mysterious deaths have been murder, or as some believe, could something supernatural have been afoot? That fact doesnt stop thousands of people from trying to beat the odds. Roxas at the Golden Buddha hearing (from a clipping at the Roger Roxas museum in Baguio) I was horrified to learn that I had to select which cobra would be sacrificed. 0000011401 00000 n As there was no easy way for others to get in contact with the families of the deceased, thousands of people simply disappeared from the lives of their loved ones.[8]. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC, 6 Mar. The United States had stumbled upon the greatest treasure hoards in history, including more gold bullion than was known to be in existence, and would use this unfathomable wealth to influence world affairs, win the Cold War, launch a space programme, and create a new world order. I had never been and was excited to take it all in. In January 2016, 54-year-old Randy Bilyeu wanted to find the treasure. Despite the impressive testimonials, I smelled a rat. We started filming after 11pm and finished at 2am; hardly condusive to peak performance, but it was nice of the director to squeeze me in. 30 Apr 2019. Andrew Gough. Thirty years after the disappearance, David Paulides, a former police officer and researcher on missing people, filmed the video above and brought the case to the attention of the Colorado government. Like Cheatham, Cathcarts team discovered Curtis in Las Vegas, and made a videotape detailing how he had spent many hours with Marcos in 1975, and had visited the president in his summer palace, where he saw the distinctively styled golden buddha, which (he later testified) he had examined closely, including its removable head. Roxas claimed that some 25 years earlier, using a map given to him by the son of a Japanese soldier, he and a team of friends discovered a cave filled with gold, including a golden Buddha, plus the skeletons of the soldiers and engineers who had been sealed inside. It was a sense of danger, a feeling that you are being watched, and that you are uninvited. I watched the show and their drive-by shooting approach to treasure hunting with dread. I was riveted as Cathcart recalled that tragic day and was leaning forward in anticipation as he spoke, when suddenly his carer abruptly corrected him and blurted out facts about the case that I found startling and incongruous from a healthcare professional who had claimed to know nothing about the affair. On the way home Klaus instructed our tricycle driver to take us along the coastal road. Andrew Gough, Afterwards, as we were packing up outside the priests house, Klaus was recounting to one of the other treasure hunters who had assembled that morning that he had discovered leaves deep underground in the backfilled tunnels of one of his sites. He was never seen again. I could do that, I thought. No autopsy was performed, despite Cathcarts request, and the official cause of death was ruled as tuberculosis. He had a copper mining company and also staked a claim on plots of land that he used to mine gold. Later that day I drove to Klauss village. People named Bob Curtis. Night fell, and Billy never returned. Nope, we had to move on; places to be. How could I tell if some of my soldiers misbehaved themselves? I say successful, because I was not bitten by one of the many cobras lurking in the rice paddies along the way and was only partially bitten to death by hordes of mosquitos the size of hummingbirds. The director simply said, whenever you are ready, and he proceeded to speak uninterrupted for over an hour. Conventional military site treasure symbols. Most of it, he said, is Curtis own money. Of course, everyone acts oblivious and says there is no such landmark in the area. Roxas was shown a search warrant with Pios signature that mentioned something about illegal possession of firearms. I was especially interested in what had happened to the ancient relics of the East, and what exactly, if anything, remains to be discovered. There are far more people attempting to find treasure than there are success stories. All Rights Reserved. Four days later Roxas paid the price of his ill-advised actions. Although Roxas had been defeated, he had protected his secret longer than anyone could have reasonably expected him to. It was almost a year to the date of my first visit and now, like then, I had managed to arrive in the middle of the monsoon season. Skeptoid Media, I had retreated to a solitary place inside my head where I was contemplating the whole astonishing quest when I heard Klaus attempting to get my attention. The incredibly ambitious, albeit cruel, initiative was overseen by Japanese princes, most notably Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, the brother of Emperor Hirohito. We are not at the bottom yet? The golden buddha was real but not the gold bullion. I could not believe he knew about it all, let alone had such a peculiar opinion about it. Director simply said, we have found a fine prospect providing for their safety will. 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