It used to be that thousands of Filipinos and foreigners would search the islands, spurred on by myths of Japanese World War II plunder. For decades, fortune seekers have traveled to the archipelago in search of hidden riches stolen by Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita and allegedly hidden across the island nation. However a new edict by Environment Secretary Lito Atienza will place all treasure-hunting activities under the watchful eyes of government regulation to protect the nation's natural and cultural heritage.

A 5-year old boy aimed and shot dead a 445-pound bear while on a hunting trip with his grandfather Sunday. Tre Merritt, the toddler and hunter, recounted his experience while he was up on a tree stand with his grandfather Mike and saw the bear come into view.

Not even in her wildest dreams did Marlene Todd think of sharing a hot bath with a cougar. But she almost did last Thursday, when she suddenly found a mountain lion in her backyard and staring at her as if wanting to share the relaxing soak.

An Indian businessman kidnapped on Monday in the Philippines escaped from his abductors on Wednesday and went to the police, who arrested three of his kidnappers, fellow Indians themselves. Police from Bataan province in the central island of Luzon learned they busted an Indian syndicate that abducts fellow Indians in exchange for ransom when other Indian victims emerged after the arrest of the three Indians in separate locations in the Philippines.

Angered because his wife did not buy beer, a man shot one of the family's two pet goats. The man, 48-year old Peter W. Mischler, was said to have come home from a hunting trip, and was enraged to find out that his 22-year old daughter had let the goats out, allowing the animals to make a mess.