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Post by beirutvet on Sept 20, 2014 7:00:21 GMT 8
Hello Registrar
Part of your post on 3/14/14 stated;
"Donating the items to the museum at BALANGA is a brilliantly noteworthy solution to any allegations of improper relic hunting. I hope that the museum adopts a practice of issuing a "Certificate of Appreciation" to its donors, so that your paperwork protects you."
Protects you? Protects you from whom or what? Is this an esoteric reference or is this in fact something that can actually land you in jail?
On my two visits to Corregidor I lamented the fact that I thought the items on display at the museum on top side were sparse considering what went on there and what must surely remain just under the surface or what could be donated to display from private collections. I had thought on my subsequent visits I would actively look for relics and upon finding them donate them to the museum there, for as Bob Hudson had so dutifully noted, what good are they doing in a box that will probably end up in a dump when I am gone?
But if it is something that is actually in violation of the law, I of course will not engage in that activity as I have managed to stay out of jail for my entire life so far, thank you very much, and wish to continue that streak till "flies crawl on my eyeballs" (paraphrased from CORREGIDOR, THE ROCK FORCE ASSAULT,Gen Flanagan).
Was that an exaggeration, Registrar? Do I have anything to fear about this? I am still very new to this site and subject matter and yield to our more experienced members knowledge.
Please advise
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Post by Registrar on Sept 20, 2014 8:00:56 GMT 8
I did a long reply to this, and am annoyed at myself that I managed to lose it. So this reply will be brief.
The Philippines is a wonderful place, but it tends to operate via chismis (gossip), all the more the further you get from Manila. Being known to have had a WWII BAR (even an inoperable one, even temporarily) can be awkward if there is someone who doesn't like you. Nor can the PNP be relied upon to operate in accordance with what we might understand as the rule of law. Thus it can be wise to have positive proof of a negative fact - that you DON't have such things any more, they being properly disposed of to a proper place, namely a museum.
In this regard, Bob was very wise.
Besides, it is good practice for a museum to have an audit trail for donations, for if it doesn't, it's being neglectful.
Many donations to the Corregidor museum do not appear to have been put on display. This might be because they don't have the funds to create displays. Irrespective, stuff we've donated has never been seen again.
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