Buzz
While Filipinos are renowned for their welcoming, kind-hearted, and industrious demeanor, beneath this hospitable exterior lies a labyrinth of shadowy secrets—conspiracy theories that span from the credible to the utterly outlandish.
10. The Suspicious Death of Paul Walker: A Cover-Up Linked to Underground Corruption
On November 30, 2013, Hollywood star Paul Walker tragically lost his life in a car accident. According to reports, his friend Roger Rodas was behind the wheel, traveling at an astonishing 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), when the vehicle collided with a concrete pole and multiple trees. The car burst into flames almost instantly, though it is believed Walker died on impact.
Conspiracy theorists swiftly claimed that Walker’s demise was no mere accident but a calculated act of murder. Prior to his death, Walker had been in the Philippines collaborating with charities to provide food and medical assistance to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. Rumors suggest he delved too deeply, allegedly uncovering proof of embezzled funds—relief money siphoned off by dishonest officials.
An alternate narrative proposes that Walker stumbled upon something even more shocking: hidden birth control pills within medical supplies, purportedly intended to control the nation’s surging population growth.
9. The Sabah Invasion: Allegedly Orchestrated by Malaysian Opposition Groups
Once a formidable sultanate, Sulu, now a small province in the southern Philippines, historically controlled vast territories, including the region of Sabah in Borneo. In 1878, the Sultan of Sulu granted the British North Borneo Company a lease for the land. As Malaysian territories gained independence from Britain between the 1950s and early 1960s, Sabah joined the newly formed Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
On February 11, 2013, conflict reignited when hundreds of Sultan of Sulu loyalists entered Sabah and took over several villages. Sultan Jamalul Kiram III claimed Sabah as part of his ancestral domain and called on his followers to resist Malaysian police and military forces.
Analysts and politicians from both the Philippines and Malaysia proposed multiple theories, with the most persistent being that Kiram had discussions with Muslim rebel leader Nur Misuari and former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Ibrahim, whose career was marred by scandal, allegedly sought to regain power through the Opposition Party. Reports indicate he promised Kiram concessions, including autonomy for Sabah, to create chaos that would benefit the opposition in the upcoming elections.
The “invasion” ultimately failed—by March 24, 2013, all of Kiram’s followers were either killed or apprehended. The Sultan passed away later that year, but his descendants and family continue to advocate for the “Sabah Issue.”
8. The Reproductive Health Bill: Allegedly a Foreign Scheme to Control Filipino Population Growth
The Reproductive Health Bill (RH Bill) became law on December 21, 2012, sparking widespread controversy in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation—the only one in Southeast Asia. Thousands of demonstrators rallied outside churches and government buildings, urging lawmakers to reject the bill. Many devout Christians and pro-life activists viewed it as unethical and contrary to Christian principles.
Some opponents equated contraception with abortion, with one anti-RH Bill congresswoman declaring during the heated debate that “Heaven must be crying.” Online, many claimed that the bill’s passage was a sign of divine retribution, with God punishing the Filipino people for their defiance.
Senator Vicente Sotto III vehemently opposed the RH Bill, labeling it part of a
7. Emilio Aguinaldo: Accused of Eliminating His Competitors
Emilio Aguinaldo is celebrated in his native province for leading the resistance against foreign powers and serving as the first president of the nascent republic. However, some historians portray him as a more sinister figure. During the 1890s, the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonization was underway, and tensions arose between Aguinaldo, a rising figure in the Katipunan, and Andres Bonifacio, the leader of this revolutionary group.
By 1897, internal strife within the Katipunan intensified as factions led by Bonifacio and Aguinaldo clashed for dominance. Historians recount that Bonifacio welcomed Aguinaldo’s men into his camp, unaware of an arrest warrant against him. Aguinaldo’s forces launched a surprise attack, stabbing Bonifacio in the neck and allegedly assaulting his wife.
Andres Bonifacio and his brother faced a trial where the judges and jury were aligned with Aguinaldo. Their defense lawyer even argued that they were guilty of treason and conspiring to surrender their forces to the Spanish. They were executed on May 10, 1897.
After Spain relinquished control of the Philippines, the United States swiftly emerged as the new dominant power. Historians suggest Aguinaldo anticipated American favor but needed to eliminate another adversary—General Antonio Luna, a staunch opponent of American influence.
On June 5, 1889, Aguinaldo lured Luna to a convent under the pretense of a meeting. Upon arrival, Luna and his aide encountered a group of assassins who fatally shot and stabbed them. Witnesses claim Aguinaldo’s mother watched from a convent window and inquired, “Is he still moving?”
While Aguinaldo was never directly implicated in the killings, such actions aligned with his reputation. Years later, political opponents exploited this to undermine his legacy, highlighting the unresolved mysteries surrounding the deaths of Luna and the Bonifacios.
6. The Filipino Elite’s Alleged Plot to Subjugate Their Own People
In the early 20th century, debates emerged over whether the Philippines should gain independence. American officials conducted numerous studies to gauge the strength of the independence movement, identifying key figures and assessing public sentiment.
Despite this, many American scholars, military personnel, and clergy opposed independence and sought to undermine it covertly. They propagated the notion of a conspiracy orchestrated by Filipino elites, warning that independence would enable this small, educated, and affluent group to exploit and enslave ordinary Filipinos once the United States withdrew. These elites were labeled as “agitators and villains” with sinister intentions.
A particularly demeaning aspect of the theory claimed that many Filipinos were uninformed and unprepared for independence, citing statistics like a 5 percent literacy rate and only 3 percent understanding self-governance. Proponents argued that most Filipinos feared independence, believing it would lead to chaos and instability.
5. The Nazis’ Alleged Role in the Pearl Harbor and Philippines Attacks
A Gallup Poll conducted on December 10, 1941, revealed that 48 percent of Americans believed Germany influenced Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. By February 1942, this figure had surged to 68.5 percent.
While the Pearl Harbor assault lasted only hours, the Philippines faced prolonged conflict after Japan attacked on the same day, enduring struggles until 1945.
Numerous publications and individuals supported the theory that Germans were actively involved in the Pacific Theater, especially in the Philippines. Following the Japanese attacks, invaders were dubbed “Japanazis.” Reports emerged of American troops encountering “white pilots” in dogfights, and military officials in Manila noted similarities between Japanese and German bombing tactics.
Publications like Time magazine reported sightings of Messerschmitts in Pampanga and Stukas in Hawaii. Filipinos also discovered unexploded bombs with markings such as “Frankfurt 1916,” further fueling the theory.
4. Alleged Diversion of Yamashita’s Treasure to American Banks
Tomoyuki Yamashita’s treasure comprised wealth looted by Japanese forces from territories they occupied during World War II. Previously, we’ve discussed how Ferdinand Marcos, the infamous Philippine dictator, deceived the individual who discovered the treasure in the country’s mountainous regions. Marcos was aided by Robert Curtis, a Nevada-based mining expert and metallurgist, who helped sell the gold to the Japanese or potentially to the CIA.
Following Marcos’s overthrow in 1986, Curtis was approached by the John Birch Society, a group with connections to American politics and economics. They suspected that only a small portion of the treasure had been recovered and that more remained hidden underground in the Philippines. Curtis was assigned to locate the treasure and smuggle it into the United States.
The plan involved selling the treasure to a Bahamian company, with proceeds transferred to the Imperial Bank of Canada and eventually funneled into U.S. banks. Curtis also established a shell corporation in the Philippines to manage these transactions. After the scheme was exposed, Curtis fled the country but later claimed one expedition yielded approximately $4.6 billion in gold bullion.
3. The Mystery Behind Ninoy Aquino’s Assassination
The assassination of Ninoy Aquino on August 21, 1983, is often called the “Mother of All Philippine Conspiracy Theories.” Not only does the case remain unsolved, but it also triggered profound societal upheaval, the effects of which are still felt decades later.
While the CIA is often speculated to be involved, the most direct suspect is Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for decades and viewed Ninoy as his greatest political rival. However, Marcos had little to gain and much to lose from such an act, as history later proved, making him an improbable culprit.
Another theory points to General Fabian Ver, Marcos’s close ally and head of the Armed Forces. After fleeing to Germany for asylum, Ver was questioned by his son about ordering Ninoy’s assassination. He responded, “How could you even say that? He was my brother at the University of the Philippines. And we were friends.”
The alleged shooter, Rolando Galman, was killed by soldiers on the same day Ninoy was assassinated. Both bodies were taken to a military camp, and rumors suggest a significant delay before a coroner could examine them. Hours later, Marcos declared Galman a “Communist hitman” who acted alone.
Subsequent investigations resulted in the conviction of 16 soldiers involved in the conspiracy. In 2006, Master Sergeant Pablo Martinez revealed in a Time interview that Galman implicated Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, a business magnate and cousin of Ninoy’s wife, as the one who ordered the assassination.
Others speculate that Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady, orchestrated the plot. Ninoy had frequently targeted her with harsh criticism, and some believe her actions were driven by resentment and jealousy, given rumors of a past romantic relationship between Ninoy and Imelda.
2. Ninoy Aquino’s Alleged Ties to the CIA
Some conspiracy theories claim that the CIA’s involvement in Filipino politics extended to Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Aquino is celebrated as a national hero for his resistance against the Marcos regime.
There are claims that Aquino, both before and during his vocal opposition to the government, served as a CIA operative and played a key role in supporting Magsaysay’s campaign against the HUK. When Magsaysay broke his promise of amnesty for the HUK leader, Aquino’s anger prompted Magsaysay to send him to the U.S. to “observe” CIA training programs.
Ninoy was known for his talkative nature, often enthusiastically sharing details of his covert operations. He reportedly even disclosed a mission to overthrow Indonesian President Sukarno to his peers. This behavior allegedly angered the CIA, leading to a loss of trust. And as history shows, losing the CIA’s trust can have dire consequences . . .
1. The Alleged Alliance Between Magsaysay and Lansdale
On March 17, 1957, a Douglas C-47 aircraft crashed on Mount Manunggal in Cebu, claiming the life of former Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay. While the crash was officially attributed to mechanical failure, conspiracy theorists pointed fingers at both the Hukbalahap (HUK)—a guerrilla group that once fought Japan and later rebelled against the government—and the CIA, which had operatives embedded in the country.
The Hukbalahap theory gained traction due to Magsaysay’s military background and prior assassination attempts. During World War II, he served as an intelligence officer with the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and engaged in guerrilla warfare, interacting with HUK leaders. Post-war, as Secretary of National Defense, Magsaysay led a ruthless campaign that nearly eradicated the HUK threat.
Others highlight Magsaysay’s ties to the CIA, particularly his relationship with Colonel Edward Lansdale, one of the agency’s most effective operatives. The CIA, newly established, sought a strong presence in Southeast Asia to counter communism. Magsaysay was seen as a puppet leader, and Lansdale played a key role in his rise—writing his speeches (even physically stopping him from delivering an unapproved one) and orchestrating a presidential campaign filled with American-style propaganda. Theorists argue that Magsaysay’s death was orchestrated because he was becoming too independent.
