Legend has it that hoards of treasures, which are part of the Japanese Imperial Army's loot from various temples and museums of Asia that date back to the Old Word were stocked by the Japanese in Fort Santiago, Manila during the last year of Word War II or in 1945. The treasures came from Old Babylon, the temples of India and Southeast Asia. Fearing confiscation by the British forces that were controlling China if they transport it by land, the precious loot was shipped by the Japanese from Singapore to the Philippines by commandeering civilian merchant vessels. Sometime in July 1944, after crossing the Sulu Sea and the West Philippine Sea the said ships unloaded treasures at the Port of Manila. When the Japanese forces were already certain of their defeat in the Philippines, they chose to retreat towards the mountain ranges of the Gran Cordillera taking with them their looted treasure. They used the rugged and seldom used trail going to Bessang Pass at Cervantes, Ilocos Sur and planned to cross the mountains and escape through the Pacific Ocean using the natural port of Palanan at the eastern tip of the Province of Isabela.