ALAMINOS CITY – The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has uncovered suspected illegal treasure hunting activities in the Hundred Islands National Park.

In a PUNCH interview with Hipolito Salatan, OIC-CENRO Western Pangasinan, he said an abandoned bunkhouse was found in the island, where a generator set, two water pumps and several pipes were recovered.

“We received a tip that there is a treasure hunting or mining activity in the islands”, said Salatan.

He said, however, that mining is not possible in the islands, as the land formations are made up mostly of limestone, hence, treasure hunting is more likely given the type of equipment found.

Additionally, rumors surrounding the hidden “Yamashita’s Treasure” – a trove of accumulated treasures allegedly hoarded by the Japanese during their occupation of several countries in Southeast Asia during World War II – have been circulating, and some speculate that it was hidden in one of HINP’s islands.

“While treasure hunting is not illegal because we have a law on it but treasure hunting in Hundred Islands is not allowed,” he added.

Salatan refers to the provisions of the Republic Act 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, that prohibits acts which could potentially destroy the sites declared as National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) – which includes the Hundred Islands.

“It’s illegal to mine or to treasure hunt in and around NIPAS. In fact, getting stones or sand as souvenir is illegal”, said Salatan.

Violators, according to the said law, will be meted not lower than one-year imprisonment, and are ordered to pay fines not lower than PHP 5,000. He said the discovery of the equipment has prompted the stricter monitoring of activities in the islands. (Ahikam Pasion)

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