Treasure hunting in the city of pines

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – Dar is gold in demdar hills of in this tourism resort city, or so it seems, basing from reports of numerous treasure hunting activities.

People are complaining because treasure hunters have intruded into private and public property. They say the underground tunnels pose danger to their lives as these could cave in anytime.

This, considering that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources earlier listed numerous areas in the city as geological hazards. The DENR had recommended relocation of residents from such areas.

The mater had reached city officials who had come up with measures to address the matter, but the treasure hunting fever is on. To the diggers, one time or another, they could hit pay dirt considering part or the whole of the fabled Yamashita treasure was buried here by Japanese forces during World War 2 before they retreated to Ifugao for their last stand.

A lot of stories of buried treasures may have fired up the imagination of the locals. A few years back, talks were rife that certain officials, in the guise of doing road works or fixing main sewer lines, have actually indulged in treasure hunting by digging deeper these areas than stipulated in project specifications.

A few years back, talks had it that treasure had also been unearthed in a huge tunnel below Magsaysay Avenue beside the Centermall which had been dug by Japanese forces where armored trucks could pass.

Then, there were the reported treasure hunting forays of the Cordillera People’s Lineration Army under then former rebel priest ConradoBalweg in remote areas of Baguio.

Of course, the reality of buried treasures in the city all started when the Roxas brothers unearthed the Golden Buddha near their residence in Aurora Hill during the Marcos regime. Reports had it that the treasure was taken from the brothers by the military as ordered by the former strongman.

Anyhow, a so-called Golden Buddha is still in a safe at the Justice Hall subject of a court case on who really owns it. But whether it is the genuine item is still an object of speculation.

There have been reported true-to-life stories of locals unearthing treasures in this summer capital. But one true story I know is about a former photographer at Burnham Park in the 60s, who along with some of his peers found a treasure trove near the old city library which had since been demolished to make the area a parking lot.

The photographer later set up a photo shop along Session Road. Over the years, he became a shrewd businessman and now owns a lot of buildings in the city.

Over the years, such stories have inspired people to buy metal detectors and try their luck. No beef with that, but to some residents now, it is illegal for them to be tunneling beneath their properties.

Complaints reached city hall. So last week, Mayor Mauricio Domogan beefed up the Baguio City Anti-Treasure-Hunting Task Force to address mounting complaints on alleged treasure-hunting activities in various parts of the city.

A press release by Eileen Refuerzo of the city government’s press information office said the mayor, in Administrative Order No. 27, reconstituted the task force to be chaired by the city administrator. The order authorized the body to conduct inspections and monitoring activities on reported incidents.

“The numerous complaints of concerned residents in the different barangays against the alleged indiscriminate diggings by unscrupulous fortune hunters is alarming and the same must be appropriately addressed in accordance to existing laws, rules and ordinances governing the said concern,” the mayor was quoted as saying.

Treasure-hunting activities have been declared unlawful in the city under Ordinance No. 525 series of 1970.

Following this, representatives of the city government and the Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau agreed to create a team to look into the matter.

The composite task force is composed of the head of the public order and safety division, the city police office, the regional director of the MGB-Cordillera Administrative Region, city building official, executive assistant III of the city mayor’s office, punong barangays concerned and the secretariat.

It will be tasked to inspect reported treasure-hunting activities; coordinate with concerned government agencies and neighboring local governments on existing activities in disputed areas; and monitor activities in the barangays to ensure that said activities have stopped.

The task force is also required to submit a monthly report to the city mayor on activities undertaken to curb the problem.

Despite this, reports have it that treasure hunting activities are still going on unhampered in the city. To the hunters, it is like betting on lotto, but the stakes are higher.

But to affected folk whose properties have been intruded into by tunnels, it is a matter of life and death as the tunnels could collapse anytime.