His impeccable research stems from an academic background whose credentials include a bachelor of science degree from the University of Georgia, a master's degree from the Asian Institute of Management, and a doctorate in business from the University of the Philippines.
The data he gathered for his doctoral dissertation was the genesis of his 1987 book "The Marcos File", which exposed the Marcos regime for its corruption and excesses.
It was while working on a book about Marcos' hidden wealth that he stumbled on the story of a treasure hunt headed by Marcos.
His close friendship with the national security director provided him access to the corridors of power. He was asked to find out the truth, both about the legendary treasure and the Marcos gold. His academic credentials, plus his military background-- he was a captain in the Green Berets in Vietnam-- made him a natural choice. He returned to the Philippones. A cave-in killed two of his men and overnight this top-secret operation made the front page of almost every major newspaper in the world.