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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Trunk with $3T in bonds found in Cebu
CEBU CITY -- A bronze trunk believed to contain counterfeited bonds worth US$3 trillion was abandoned in a banana grove in the southern town of Argao last Friday.
A report from the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) stated that a Caucasian man who did not have a shirt on drove a red Mitsubishi Pajero to Sitio Prenza, Barangay Talaga and dropped off an antique-finish bronze chest in a banana grove beside the highway and drove away further south.
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Curious onlookers went to inspect the trunk, which stands 14.3 inches high, 27.3 inches long and 10 inches wide.
The trunk, which CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria likened to that of a pirate’s chest, had markings such as a serial number, security code and master control number.
The front part of the chest was marked “Federal Reserve Bank, Cleveland, Ohio, series 1934. Total Face Value: three trillion USA.” On top was an engraved seal of the United States.
As the onlookers gathered around the chest, a red Kia Sportage with four persons on board drove by and slowed down when they neared the chest.
The four, one woman and three men, were reportedly “Asian-looking.”
But seeing the bystanders standing around the mysterious looking trunk, they made a U-turn and drove back in the direction of Cebu City.
Residents feared a bomb was inside it, prompting them to inform Barangay Councilor Rodrigo Miranda and Barangay Captain Danilo Jumao-as.
Argao Police Station Chief Teodulfo Manatad III and a team proceeded to the area to inspect the box. They also informed Valmoria, who arrived at the town at about 4 p.m.
After finding no indications that there were explosives inside, they opened it.
The box had 13 compartments inside. Only the first and fourth compartments were slightly open while the rest were sealed.
The first compartment contained seven film clichés, 12 bank certificates, 12 redemption act certificates, 12 treasury certificates, 12 inventory lists, 12 gold reserve act certificates, 11 insurance certificates and 12 gold bullion certificates.
The fourth compartment contained 200 US federal bond interest coupons, with each coupon stating it was worth US$1 billion.
Attached to the lid of the trunk was a bronze cylinder marked “information scroll and Treaty of Versailles.” It contained a rolled piece of paper that appeared to be a copy of the treaty.
Valmoria called up the US Embassy in Manila to inform them of the discovery and to ask them what to do with the documents.
He said they will be sending samples of the notes to the US Embassy. He has talked to Dante Orate of the Homeland Security Office Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who told him that the samples will be sent to the US Secret Service to check the authenticity of the notes.
“In my personal opinion, they appeared to be counterfeit. But I am not an expert so only an official from the US can say,” Valmoria said.
Asked what made him think these were counterfeit, he said there were some indicators in the bonds, such as some grammatical errors.
At 7 p.m., the trunk was taken to the CPPO where it is being kept for safekeeping.
In the meantime, Valmoria said they are trying to locate the passengers of the Mitsubishi Pajero and the Kia Sportage.
Valmoria said he is thankful to the members of the community in Barangay Talaga for their vigilance, as they were immediately able to inform the police about it.
Interviewed over radio dyLA, Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos said he believes the fake notes have something to do with a syndicated operation in Mindanao.
He said he overheard talks in the past about a “racket” victimizing foreigners in the southern part of the province, but he had no way of verifying it. (Mia E. Abellana of Sun.Star Cebu)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (October 14, 2007 issue)
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