Cause And Effect

Hooray! I have my Followers back.
For months I haven't been able to see the Follower icons on my blog page. Then last week my browser decided to update itself and they reappeared. I've now been able to become a Follower of some of you who befriended me since they vanished. It feels like a reunion.

A number of incidents at college has brought the theme of 'consequences' into my mind. This can make a good plot-line if done cleverly but I'm not sure if I have the skill to do it. This is the series of events which made me think of it:

Students have been congregating under the stairwells at each end of the building. They are not supposed to because they are fire exits but we have been turning a blind eye to it. Recently the areas have been left strewn with litter, graffiti has appeared on the walls and damage has been done so we have now put them out of bounds. Thus the consequences of a minority have now spoilt it for others. I had to explain this to a group the other day and ask them to move. One of them gave me some lip and kicked his basketball against the wall in temper. I confiscated the ball and took his name. When I checked the student database I discovered he should have been in a lesson so this has now been reported. The consequences of his tantrum has resulted in inconvenience for himself and a reprimand from his teacher. In addition I now know his name and will be keeping a check on him.

Now the theme is in my head I can't get rid of it and I know it will drive me mad until I can come up with something. I suppose that's a consequence of my over-active mind.

The Moody Brick and the Tragic Story of Joseph Sanders

One of my favorite chapters in my book Haunted North Alabama is the chapter about The Moody Brick.  In fact,  The Moody Brick is one of my favorite ghost stories.   When I did a presentation on ghost stories at the library,  a lovely lady named Ms. Dorothea came to see the presentation just to discuss the Moody Brick with me.   She had read my book and wanted to share her family history with me.   Although she was no ghost story junky, she collected stories about the Moody Brick because her family was linked to the old house.   This week, she sent me an amazing collection of photographs and information about and of The Moody Brick.  I am honored to share this information.

For those of you who haven't read Haunted North Alabama, The Moody Brick is an old plantation house in rural Alabama.  Its bricks positively drip with ghost stories and old legends.  The ghost stories there are so thick you'd have to shovel them away to see past them.   The stories start with tortured slaves who rise up to kill their masters and enter into the civil war when the house was used as a hospital and keep on going through suicide and tragedies.   Ms. Dorothea added another sorrowful tale to the Moody Brick's history.

The paperwork she sent me told of her 3rd Grandfather, Joseph Sanders.   She sent me information that came from a grave website and was submitted by Gary Sanders.  When describing the family relations to the Moody Brick  he told this story:
     "Joseph Sanders had some rebel neighbors.   The rebel neighbors hung him on a mulberry tree because they thought he was giving information to the Yankees.  There were three of the rebels, one a neighbor by the name of Barbee-after killing him they left with a horse thy were using as a pack mule to carry the things that they had taken.  That evening, not long after the rebels had left, a group of Yankees came down out of the mountain and went after the rebels.   They caught up with them near the foot of the mountain close to the old Moody Brick.  The Yankees killed te horse and made the men dig a grave for it.  When the grave was dug- they killed the men- put them in the hole and rolled the horse on top of them. "

 There seem to be many variations on this story.  In some variations, Sanders is shot and killed by bushwhackers rather than rebels.  Either way, the murderers were killed and buried under the mulberry tree at The Moody Brick, adding to the many ghosts that wander the grounds.

Ms. Dorothea also sent me information on The Harris/Moody Brick Family Cemetery located on the grounds of The Moody Brick.  According to this information there are seven marked graves on the cite and six graves with markers but no inscriptions.  There may be as many as 50 graves on the property outside the fenced in family cemetery area.  There was a clean up of the area in 2005 and they attempted to mark as many of these graves as possible with concrete blocks. 

Other information she sent me included a tour guide for the Moody Brick and farm with its history on it.  The tour guide describes the restoration of this beautiful old home and its significance in the history of the region.  It also described the architectural evolution of the house.  At the bottom of the brochure it states: "We appreciate your interest in this historic home.  Unfortunately for some, it is not a paranormal site- no ghosts here."  It is clear the current owners want to respect the history of their amazing house and dispel the folklore and fascination associated with it.  I respect that and include this information in this post so people know not to travel to the house expecting to ghost hunt there.  Although I love the many ghost stories surrounding the house, I appreciate that the current owners want no part in them and ask people to come and visit to enjoy the rich and interesting history, not the ghosts. 

   The pictures Ms. Dorothea sent me are included in this post. I can not thank Ms. Dorothea enough for all the information she sent me and for coming to talk with me about hr family history and the history of the Moody Brick.  I wish I could write another book and include the wealth of information she has sent me.  It was an honor to meet someone who is a part of the history I love and for them to holds me in enough regard to send me information on their family.     

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Cracked Ghost Stories: The Anus Ghost

Recently, cracked.com posted a list of the seven most ridiculous ghost stories.   It was a wonderful list that I enjoyed on every level.  I didn't agree with the writer on every count.   He did seem to think all Japanese ghost stories are insane.  I love Japanese ghosts and folklore and I know some of their ghost stories are silly, but I can't agree that all of them are ridiculous.  I also have to wonder if some of the list just seems ridiculous to Westerners because there is cultural context we are missing.   Most of cracked.com's list seems to come from other cultures and different cultures vary greatly in their folklore and religion and this makes one culture's terrifying tale another cultures exercise in absurdity.   Anyhow,  here is my favorite ghost story from the list and I can't think of a cultural context that wouldn't make me giggle a little over this.

The Shirime

According to cracked.com, The Shirime is a terrifying naked man ghost.  It accosts people on long lonely roads and sexually harasses them.   In one story, a samurai is attacked and when the samurai turns around to face his attacker, his attacker disrobes.  When the samurai decides to flee, the naked man ghost bends over and exposes his anus.   This is horrifying on so many levels.   The most horrifying aspect of this is that the ghost has an eyeball in its butt hole. I did some research and I couldn't find any more to this story than this.  Apparently the Shirime can be attributed to one Haiku poet from the 17th century.  I haven't read of anyone who has actually encountered this spirit, so thankfully it seems to be just folklore.  I guess we are all grateful for this.
 
I plan on continuing to write about Alabama State Hospitals tomorrow.   As the doors close on Alabama's hospitals, I hope these posts will serve as a memorial, but for today I needed a laugh and there isn't a ghostly story out there that made me laugh as hard as the butt hole ghost.
 
To read more of cracked.com's ridiculous ghost stories you can follow this link: 

http://www.cracked.com/article_18814_the-7-most-ridiculous-ghost-stories-from-around-world.html?wa_user1=3&wa_user2=Weird+World&wa_user3=article&wa_user4=recommended

Alabama Psychiatric Hospitals Will Soon Be Ghosts

This month Alabama announced its intentions to close all but two of its psychiatric hospitals.  As an Alabama mental health professional, I saw this news as devastating.   I've worked in inpatient psychiatric care for 4 years.   The hospital I worked in was for short term care, three to five days was our average length of stay.   Our biggest problem and my greatest challenge was trying to find sufficient aftercare for the seriously mentally ill.  There are virtually no group homes available for the mentally ill and the state hospitals were near impossible to get into, but at least they were there.  When we had chronic patients that were a consistent danger to themselves and others, the state hospital were an option.  When we had a man come in who insisted he was going to kill his children, we could release him to the state hospital.  Apparently, that option will be gone in Alabama.  Where will he go?  Nobody knows.

According to the New York Times this is what the state says:
"By May 2013, the state plans to have two remaining state mental health hospitals, one for criminal suspects and another for geriatric patients. Nearly all of the 524 other mentally ill patients will get treatment at group homes and community centers, which are less expensive and give them more freedom, state officials say. "

This would be lovely if there were adequate community centers and homes, which there aren't, and if such homes were sufficiently staffed to take care of people who are dangers to themselves and others, which they aren't.  So I am saddened by this news.  I am sad to see the state hospitals go and I am sad for the many patients and for all the hundreds of state employees that will soon lose their jobs. I am sad for all the patient who have begged for more care when there was none available.  As a memorial to the Alabama state hospitals,  I'm going to post about the ghosts of these hospitals this week.   Here is my post about the ghosts Searcy State Hospital, one of the many hospitals that is soon to be a ghost itself.


Searcy is one of my favorite haunted places. I did my internship here a very long time ago and I fell in love with it's history and it's white chipped walls. Everything about this old hospital spoke to me. It was even more remarkable because most of those who worked there and lived there every day were oblivious to it's history. Searcy State Hospital is located in Mt. Vernon, Alabama. Prior to being a state hospital the old hospital has a long and dark history that is very difficult to find, but easy to see upon casual observation. The hospital is encased in long, chipped, white walls that seem as old as anything in the United States. From outside these walls, you can see a battered watchtower that gives testament to the fact that the hospital is in the same location as a 300 year old fort. The fort bears witness to American history. It was originally a French fort and then a Spanish Fort. It switched hands during the Louisiana Purchase and became a US fort. After the US took possession of the fort it was converted to a military arsenal and became known as the Mount Vernon Arsenal.

The Arsenal switched hands again several times and was taken by the Confederates during the civil war only to be passed back over the United States again in 1862. From 1887 to 1894, The Arsenal became a Barracks and was used as a prison for the captured Apache people. The most famous of the Apache people to be held in these barracks was Geronimo. There is a door in the lobby of the old hospital that is labeled as the door to Geronimo's cell. It is beautiful and intricate. Sadly, history notes that Geronimo was not kept in a cell during his stay at Mt. Vernon. He was allowed freedom to wander the barrack, so the door is just a lovely bit of folklore. The infamous Aaron Burr was also held at this secluded prison at some point after his notorious gun fight.

In 1900 the Barracks were transformed once again and the prison became a mental hospital. Searcy hospital was built as the African American mental hospital in Alabama. Conditions in the hospital were beyond questionable and at one time there were over 2000 patients in the crowded hospital and all were seen by one psychiatrist. All patients were expected to work in the fields.

The hospital was desegregated in 1969, but it’s history is all around it. The hospital is still in used today, and although the residents live in new buildings, many tell stories of ghosts and devils that linger in the white walls and abandoned buildings that surround the new facilities. These stories are usually ignored, because the patients are crazy, but I’m not the only sane person who saw a few ghosts while they were working there.

To read more about the state hospital closures go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/us/alabama-plans-to-shut-most-mental-hospitals.html

Maria Labo

Legend

Collected from Internet:

A young woman named Maria went to Canada as a caregiver. There, she took care of an old man which, according to rumours, was possessed by the so-called "vampire" (some "aswang") curse. When the old man died, he passed the curse (some say, his powers) to Maria. Finding no luck in Canada, Maria went home. It was then that her thirst for human flesh started. When her husband, a policeman, went home one night, he looked for their kids. The deranged Maria pointed to the stove where she had cooked their children. Enraged, her husband struck her with a bolo ("labo") where she obtained a scar on her face, earning her the monicker Maria Labo. They said, she fled to Visayas, then to Mindanao, in a quest to satiate her hunger for human flesh and viscera. Like a typical aswang, she has the ability to change her appearance. Sometimes she appears as a beautiful young lady. At other times, she appears as an old woman.

According to some interviews, chain messages and/or warning texts:

She was recently a saleslady in a mall (I don't know where specifically in the Philippines she is now), living as a normal person, and whenever you remember abruptly about her at exactly 3 in the morning and afternoon, she'll suddenly appear on front of you then kill you. Some said, she has a cellphone number. (I don't know what will happen if you'll call her.)

Taken from a Book:

Ang Tatlong Katauhan ni Maria Labo By: Abelardo Gajarion 1. Mula nang naging malaganap ang militarisasyon sa kanayunan naging magulo na ang probinsiya ng Sorsogon. Walang masaganang ani ang mga magsasaka't mangingisda. Maraming maliliit na negosyo ang nagsara. Hindi makapasok sa eskwela ang mga bata. Halos hindi na nga makalabas ng bahay ang mga tao. Lahat nahihintay na lang na mabagsakan ng isang bomba, para sabay-sabay na mamatay. Maliban kay Maria Labo. Malapit sa paanan ng bundok, malayo sa kabayanan, nakatira sa maliit na bahay na yari sa cogon at kawayan ang mag-asawang Maria at Ermin Labo. Mayroon silang dalwang anak, sina Pablo at Rosalinda. Si Ermin ay isang magsasaka habang si Maria naman ang naglalako ng mga ani sa kabayanan. Mula nang mawalan ng ani ang kanilang gulayan, ipinasya ni Maria na sumama sa kaibigang naghahanap ng domestic helper papuntang Espanya. Naisip niyang mas marami ang kanyan kikitain sa pagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa kaysa sa paglalako ng gulay na hindi na nga niya nagagawa dahil sa kaguluhan sa kanilang bayan. Isinangla nila ang kanilang lupang sakahan at ang kinatatayuan ng kanilang bahay para pambayad sa kanyang placement fee. Pagkalipas ng tatlong buwan, lumipad si Maria papuntang Espanya. 2. Sa isang lumang mansion, sa isang bayan na malayun-malayo sa siyudad napadpad si Maria. Bumaba siya mula sa isang kakarag-karag na bus sa tapat ng isang malaki at lumang-lumang gate na bakal. Napupuluputan ito ng mga gumagapang na halaman. Ayon sa agency na nagpadala sa kanya, isang matandang lalaki at isang katiwala na lang ang nakatira sa mansion na kanyang magtatrabahuan. Pumasok siya sa gate na bahagyang nakabukas. Tanaw niya mula sa kinatatayuan ang kulay abong mansion. Bago makarating roon, kinailangan munang maglakad ni Maria ng halos dalawang kilometro. Maalikabok ang daan na nililinyahan ng malalaking puno sa magkabilang tabi. Pagdating sa tapat ng mansion, nagulat pa si Maria nang makitang halos tatlong beses na mas matangkad sa kanya ang pintuang gawa sa matigas na kahoy na may mga ukit-ukit na ubas at mga bulaklak. Gawa sa bato ang buong mansion. Napansin niyang halos hanggang tuhod na niya ang mga damo sa bakuran. Halos mapuno na rin ng mga gumagapang na halaman ang kanang bahagi nga mansion. Kumatok siya gamit ang bilog na bakal na nakasabit mula sa sabitan na hugis ulo ng leon. Luminga-linga siya, nagbabakasakaling may tao siyang makikita, ngunit walang sumalubong sa kanya. Matapos ang halos limang minutong paghihintay, kusang bumukas ang pinto. Bumukas ito nang mabagal na mabagal at gumawa ito ng nakakarindi at nakakangilong ingay na parang bang matagal na itong nakasara at noon lamang nabuksan. Wala siyang makitang tao sa loob sa kanyang pagpasok. Hindi niya nakita ang matandang lalaki na kanina pa siya taimtim na tinititigan mula pa lang nang pumasok siya sa gate at maglakad patungo sa bahay. Hola, como estas? bati sa kanya ng isang lalaki mula sa kaliwang bahagi ng mansion. Napaigtad si Maria sa gulat. Hindi niya inasahang lalabas na lang bigla ang isang lalaking may magarang-magarang kasuotan. Soy Eduardo. Que te llamas? Hindi alam ni Maria ang isasagot. Comprendes Espanol? Umiling-iling na lamang si Maria. Kung hindi man wala, katiting lamang ang kanyang nalalaman sa wikang Espanyol. Tinitigan muna siya ng lalaki bago nagpumilit magsalita ng Ingles. Follow. Follow. Si Eduardo ang katiwala ng mansion. Matagal-tagal na rin siyang naninilbihan doon. Nagbabalak na siyang umalis, ngunit hindi niyo iyon magawa hangga't hindi pa niya napipili ang tamang babaeng mag-aalaga sa kanyang amo. Inabot sila ng kalahating araw para lamang libutin ang buong mansion. Inisa-isa nila ang bawat kwarto. At sa bawat kwarto ipinaliwanag ni Eduardo ang mga takdang gawain ni Maria. Pautal-utal na Ingles ang ginamit ni Eduardo, maging iyon ay hindi gaanong naintindihan ni Maria. Tienes hambre? E, are you, e, starved? Hindi alam ni Maria kung ano ang isasagot kaya tumango na lang siya. Nahalata ni Eduardo na hindi naintindihan ng kanyang kausap ang sinabi niya. Doon niya nalaman na natagpuan na niya ang babaeng matagal na niyang hinahanap. Senor Gustavo wants to ... e, hablar ... e, speak to you ... Tatlong buwan na ring nagtatrabaho sa mansion si Maria, ngunit hirap na hirap pa rin silang magkaintindihan at magkausap. Mas madali na lang para sa kanila ang magsenyasan. Sa loob ng tatlong buwang iyon, dalawang beses pa lang nakakapasok si Maria sa kwarto ng among si Gustavo. Sabi ni Eduardo, sa pautal-utal na tagpi-tagping kwento, si Gustavo ay matagal nang may karamdaman. Maselan ang kalagayan nito kaya hindi pwedeng makita ng maraming tao. Noong unang pagkakataon na nakapasok si Maria sa kwarto ni Gustavo halos hindi rin sila nagkita. Ipinakilala lang siya ni Eduardo, ngunit doon lamang sila nakatayo sa pintuan. Madilim ang bahagi ng kama kung saan nakaratay si Gustavo kaya hindi halos naaninag ni Maria ang mukha ng matandang lalaki. Nang ikalawang pagkakataon, nakapasok at nakalapit na si Maria kay Gustavo. Kinuha niya ang arinola sa tabi ng kama ng amo. Kulu-kulubot na ang balat nito. Manipis na manipis na ang maputing buhok sa ulo. Halos puti na lahat ang mga mata nito. Bago siya umalis tinanong si Maria ni Gustavo. Mahinang-mahina ang boses nito, halos hindi na marinig ni Maria. Are you Filipina? Tumango si Maria, naintindihan niya ang tanging tanong na itinanong sa kanya ng amo. A, opo, si, si, Senor Gustavo. I am Filipina. Nagtataka si Maria. Iniisip niya ang mga posibleng dahilan kung bakit siya pinatawag ni Gustavo gayong nariyan naman si Eduardo para ibigay anuman ang pangangailangan ng amo. Iniwan niya ang nililinis sa kusina para pumunta sa kwarto ng amo. Bago makalabas ng kusina, pinaalalahanan pa siya ni Eduardo. Maria, nunca, e, do not go out of the room if Senor Gustavo, e, is not asleep yet. Marahang kumatok saka pumasok si Maria sa kwarto ni Gustavo. Lumapit siya sa matanda. Sinenyasan siya nitong lumapit. Tila may ibubulong ang kanyang amo. Dahan-dahan niyang inilapit ang kanyang mukha sa mukha ni Gustavo. Kabadong-kabado si Maria. Hindi man lang niya nahulaan na ang pagpasok niyang iyon ay ang kanyang huli. Dahil paglabas niya, hindi na siya ang dati. 3. Malaki ang nagbago sa pamilya ni Maria simula nang bumalik siya galing Espanya. Dalawang buwan na rin ang nakakaraan mula nang bumalik siya sa bayan nila sa Sorsogon. Inggit na inggit ang mga tao nang dumating siya. Apat na buwan lang siyang namalagi sa Espanya, ngunit marami siyang dala-dalang pasalubong. Marami siyang dalang mamahaling mga plato, kubyertos, at kandelabra. Nabawi nila agad ang lupang isinangla at nakapagpagawa sila ng bagong bahay. Ngunit, ang ipinagtataka ng lahat ay kung bakit ni hindi man lang nila makita si Maria na lumabas ng bahay. Lagi silang nag-aabang na luluwas sa bayan si Maria ngunit hindi man lang nila ito matiyempuhan. Gayon din si Ermin at ang kanyang mga anak. Takang-taka sila sa panlalamig ni Maria sa kanila. Hindi ito gaanong nagsasalita bagamat nananatili pa rin itong maasikaso at mapagbigay. Kapag gabi, sa kama, naririnig ni Ermin ang impit nitong pag-iyak. Kapag hinahawakan siya ni Ermin para aluhin napapaso ito dahil sa sobrang lamig ng kanyang katawan. Para siyang yelo sa lamig. Kinukumutan siya ni Ermin at niyayakap, ngunit pakiramdam nito para lamang itong yumayakap sa hangin. Minsan, isang hatinggabi, napabalikwas si Ermin nang marining niyang pumapalahaw sa bintana si Maria. Nang magmulat siya't hinanap ang asawa nagulat siya nang makitang duguan ang katawan ni Maria. Laslas ang leeg nito at sumisirit mula doon ang napakaraming dugo. Hindi siya nagpahalatang gising bagama't takot na takot na siya. Nakita niyang tumagos sa pader ang katawan ni Maria. Nangilabot siya. Nagkunwari siyang tulog nang lapitan siya ng kanyang asawa. Alam niyang nilapitan siya nito at tinitigan ang kanyang mukha. Naaamoy ni Ermin ang lansa ng dugo at ang amoy ng naaagnas na katawan. Ipinagdasal niyang sana panaginip lang ang lahat. At kung binabangungot man siya, sana magising na siya, at sana normal pa rin ang lahat. Paggising niya kinabukasan, wala si Maria sa kanyang tabi. Hinanap niya ito sa buong kabahayan ngunit hindi niya ito nakita. Tinanong niya ang kanyang mga anak kung nakita nila si Maria ngunit hindi nila ito nakita simula ng nakaraang gabi. Ikinuwento ng kanyang dalawang anak na nanaginip silang nakita nila ang kanilang ina na umiiyak sa kwarto nila. Duguan ang buong katawan nito. Laslas ang leeg at sumisirit ang dugo mula dito. Nilapitan sila at hinalikan ng kanilang ina, tapos paggising nila, walang anumang bakas na nagpunta nga roon si Maria. Kinilabutan si Ermin. Pare-pareho nilang nakita si Maria ng nakaraang gabi sa pare-parehong sitwasyong. Takang-taka pa rin siya kung saan naroon ang kanyang asawa. At habang tumatagal lalo siyang kinakabahan sa mga bagay na maaari niyang matuklasan. Mag-aalas siyete ng gabi, wala pa rin si Maria, nang biglang may kumatok sa kanilang pintuan. Dali-daling tumayo si Ermin para pagbuksan ang pinto. Inaasahan niyang si Maria na iyon. Ngunit, nang kanyang pagbuksan, bumungad sa kanya ang dalawang lalaking dayuhan. Ang dalawang lalaki ay mula sa Spanish Embassy. Ibinalita nila na noong isang araw. natagpuan ang bangkay ni Maria Labo na naaagnas sa ilalim ng kama ng amo nito sa Espanya. Ang among si Gustavo ay dating magaling na doktor na nabaliw dahil iniwan ng kanyang Filipinang asawa. Nasa mental hospital na si Gustavo habang ang katiwala naman nitong si Eduardo ay nakulong sa pagtatakip sa krimen ng kanyang amo. Hindi makuhang magsalita ni Ermin. Tiningnan niya ang buong kabahayan, inisip niya kung paanong patay na si Maria nang mahigit dalawang buwan, gayong dala-dala pa niya ang mga pera't kagamitan na nakikita niya sa paligid ng bahay. Hindi siya naniwala sa dalawang lalaki. Pinaalis niya ang mga ito at pinagsisigawan. Hinintay niya si Maria. Inisip niyang nagbakasyon lang ito sa kung saan at babalik na rin pagtagal-tagal. Hinintay niya nang hinintay ang kanyang asawa. Pagkalipas ng isang linggo dumating si Maria, ngunit, isa nang naaagnas na bangkay. (English Version) The Three Faces of Maria Labo By: Abelardo Gajarion 1. When militarization was widespread in the barrio, it caused disorder in the province of Sorsogon. The farmers and fishers have no abundant harvests. Many small businesses closed. The children can't go to schools. People can't almost go out of their houses. All are just waiting to be bombarded to die simultaneously. Except of Maria Labo. Near at the foot of the mountain, far from the barrio, living in a small hut made in cogon and bamboo, is where Maria and Ermin Labo lives. They had two children, Pablo and Rosalinda. Ermin is a farmer, while Maria was a vendor of their harvests in villages. When time came that they have no abundant harvest to their vegetable farm, Maria decided to go to her friend who was searching domestic helpers to go to Spain. She thought she will earn more by working overseas than selling vegetable which she can't even do because of war in their province. They mortgaged their farmland and the place where their house was, just for the payment of her placement fee. After three months, she was now gone to Spain. 2. Maria was brought in an old mansion in a village far from the city. She went down from a not-so-good-in-traveling bus at the front of a big and old gate made of metal. It was winded with a crawling plant. According to her agency who sent her, only an old man and his trustee live in the mansion where she's going to work. She went inside the gate which is partly open. Far from where she stands, she can see the whole gray mansion. Before she arriving there, she needs to walk almost two kilometers. The road was dusty, aligned with large trees in both sides. Upon arriving in the front of the mansion, Maria was shocked seeing a large door, almost three times of her height, made in wood sculpted by grapes and flowers as decorations. The whole mansion was made of cement. She noticed that the grass on its garden grew as tall as her knee. While the right part of the mansion was almost covered by the creeping plants. She knocked the door using the round metal hanging on a lion-shaped thing. She looked towards all directions, thinking she will see someone, however no one welcomed her. After five minutes of waiting, the door just opened voluntarily. It opened very slowly and it made an unpleasant sound as if it was closed for so long and it was opened for the first time. Upon entering, she saw no one. She hadn't seen the old man who devotedly watch her upon her arrival in the gate and while she's walking towards the mansion. Hola, como estas? (Hello, how are you?) Greeted by the man who came from the left corner of the mansion. Maria was shocked. She didn't thought a man wearing a beautiful clothes will just appear from no where. Soy Eduardo. Que te llamas? (I'm Eduardo. What's your name?) Maria don't know what to answer. Comprendes Espanol? (Can you understand Spanish?) She just shake her head. If she knows something in Spanish, she only knew a little on it. The guy stared at her before speaking English. Follow. Follow. Eduardo was the trustee of the mansion. He worked there for so many years. He was planning to quit now, but he can't do it till he finds the right woman to take care of his master. They took half a day to finish walking around the mansion. They inspect every room. And Eduardo explained to Maria her job. He stammeringly used English, even Maria can't understand much. Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?) E, are you, e starved? Maria didn't know what to answer so she just nod. Eduardo noticed that Maria don't understand him. So he concluded that he found the girl he was searching for. Senor Gustavo wants to . . . e, hablar . . . e, speak to you . . . It was three months since Maria started to work there, but still they have difficulty in understanding and talking with each other. So its more easy for them to use sign language instead. In that three months, she had had a chance to go inside Mister Gustavo's room only two times. Eduardo said, in stammering and patching story, Mister Gustavo was sick for so many years ago, until now. It was very intricate, that's why no one must see him. The first time Maria had a chance to go inside Gustavo's room, they even got no chance of seeing each other. Eduardo just introduce her, however they're just standing in the door. In the side where Gustavo was resting, it was very dark that's why she can't clearly see the face of the old man. In the second time, Maria got a chance to go nearer Mr. Gustavo. She just get the urinal beside her master. His skin was wrinkled. His hair was so thin. His eyes are almost white. Before she departed Gustavo asked her. His voice was so low which Maria can't almost hear. Are you Filipina? Maria nodded, she understood the small question of her master. A, opo, si, si, Senor Gustavo. I am Filipina. Maria wondered why she was called by Gustavo even Eduardo was there to give his orders of whatever he needs. She thought some possible reasons. She left her work in the kitchen just to go to his room. Before going out of the kitchen, Eduardo give her some warnings. Maria, nunca (never), e, do not go out of the room if Senor Gustavo, e, is not asleep yet. She knocks slowly at the door of Mr. Gustavo's room. She went near to the old man. He signaled her to go nearer. It seemed her master was whispering something. Slowly, she brought her face nearer to Mr. Gustavo's. Maria was very nervous. She didn't even predicted that it'll be her last. Because when she go out, she'll be different from normal. 3Many changed to Maria's family since she came back from Spain. It was two months after she went back to Sorsogon, her province. All the people are very jealous of her when she arrived home. She had spent four months in the Spain, but she had brought many pasalubong (take homes) for that short time. She brought up expensive plates, utensils, and candelabra. Their land was on their hand again and they had built a new house. However, they (their neighbors) wondered why they haven't seen Maria go out of their house. They often wait her go out to visit their town but they have no chance of seeing her. Likewise, Ermin and his children didn't went outdoors. They are wondering very much of Maria's coldness to them. She's not talking, but she still remain caring and giving. At night, on the bed, Ermin hear her repressed cry. Whenever he attempts to touch her for comfort, he will always burn of coldness of her body. She seemed like an ice. Ermin blanketed and hugged her, but he felt somewhat like he was just hugging on a wind. One night, Ermin jump up while hearing Maria squealling at the window. When he woke up to see his wife, he was frightened seeing her bathed in blood. Her nick was slashed and blood spits on it. He went back from lying on the bed not noticeably awake, although he was very scared. He saw Maria passed through the wall. He was terrorized. He pretended sleeping when she went near him. He knew that she went close to him and stared at his face. He smelled the bad odor of the blood and the rotten flesh. He prayed that all were just a dream. And if he's in a nightmare, he prayed he'll be awake, and wished everything are back to normal. When he woke up the next day, Maria was not on her side. He looked for her every where in the house, but he find her nowhere. He also asked his children if they saw her, but like him, they didn't, starting last night. The children told Ermin that they dreamt of their mother crying in their room. Her body was full of blood. Her nick was slashed and the blood spit out from it. She went near them and kissed each of them, then when they woke up, they had seen nothing or even saw any evidence that their mother went there. Ermin felt horrible. All of them saw Maria last night in the same situation. Still he was wondering of where his wife might be. Time passed by, he feels more and more nervous to the things he might discover. Seven o'clock in the afternoon, still Maria was not home, when suddenly, they heard someone knocks at the door. Hastely, Ermin got up to open the door. He hoped it was Maria. But, when he opened, there was two foreigner standing. The two men came from the Spanish Embassy. They informed him that they saw the dead body of Maria Labo rotten under her master's bed in the Spain. Mr. Gustavo was an excellent doctor who became insane because his Filipina wife departed him. Now, Mr. Gustavo was brought to mental hospital while his trustee, Eduardo, was brought to jail from hiding the crime made by his master. Ermin can't talk. He look at the whole house. He can't that Maria was dead for almost two months, inspite all the moneys and things she brought home. He didn't believe on them. So he angrily told them to go away. He waited for Maria. He just think that she was on a vacation and she'll be home soon. He waited her wife for a long time. After some weeks Maria came, now . . . a rotten corpse.

About this

The story of Maria Labo has found its way in the local papers and true ghost story books so most probably, this story was partly true. It took fame at the midst of 2003. This story caused a stir in the city some 5 years ago. But according to the story Ang Tatlong Katauhan Ni Maria Labo (as shown above), she was not actually an aswang (vampire) but a victim of murber of a madman overseas. She came back with her moneys and things, however not with her body but a ghost instead. Before she departed her family, she'd put first them in good place.

Conclusion

Its impossible for her to visit every person in the same time in different places whenever she is remembered. There could be hundreds or thousands of people who might think of her. Then the question is - who would she visit first? And perhaps, the reason why her story became more horrible (that she transformed into a vampire) because of how she'd gone home as a ghost.

Source:
The Best of True Philippine Ghost Stories. 2008. Alexie Cruz Ed. PSICOM Publishing Inc.

The ghost of the Manila Film Center

This is not really a legend since it actually happened. But the story about the haunting is the legend.

About

The Manila Film Center is an abandoned auditorium by Manila Bay in the Cultural Center complex. A Korean company is currently making efforts rehabilitating the image of the center with a transvestite Las Vegas-like act. Now housing the "Amazing Philippine Theatre," the massive building is patronized nightly by dozens of Korean honeymooners who pose in front of the kitschy Egyptian Pharoah figure above the doorway before entering to enjoy the performance by the "country's prettiest gays." Most of the couples are completely unaware of its ghostly reputation, if one doesn't consider Filipino males with long hairless legs as apparitions.

It is haunted by the ghosts of angry construction workers. People hear cries and moans, see apparitions as well as bleeding walls and arms sticking out from under doors.

It was told that Imelda Marcos had the grandiose notion of turning the Philippines into the Cannes of Asia by starting an international film festival. They decided the venue to be held beside the Cultural Center of the Philippines and had a date set for January 18, 1982.

Despite the downhill trend of the Philippine economy, Imelda plodded along with her grandiose schemes. She also ignored some bad omens. When she first decided to launch her International Film Festival, she had built a huge building that was designed on the lines of the Parthenon.

Unfortunately, it appears that both Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda, began to change the building plans while the structure was being built, forcing construction delays. As a result, the center was being completed as quickly as possible in time for its inaugural film festival.

On November 18, 1981, shortly before 3:00 a.m., scaffolding and wooden support gave way while cement was being leveled on the sixth floor of the half-finished Manila Film Center, killing 26 construction workers and injuring 36 others. However, according to the Marcos-controlled press, 28 workers were killed in the accident, and some says 15 only. Rumor had it than 168 had died.

Betty Benitez (wife of Imelda’s Assistant Minister, Conrado Benitez), who was in charge of the project for the First Lady, was called to the scene. The mothers and wives of the men who died had come to claim the bodies. But the building was due to open for the festival, therefore it was said that instead halting the project for a rescue attempt and digging out the workers, Betty ordered, “Pour the cement.”, thus, the bodies and some of the still alive people were burried on the spot in a rush to finish the building for Imelda Marcos' film festival and the Miss Universe pageant.

A few months later Betty Benitez was herself killed in bizarre accident. She was a passenger in a car driven by O. D. Corpus, a former president of the University of the Philippines. They were on their way to Tagaytay at night. (It was never made clear why they were out driving in the middle of the night away from their respective spouses and families.) Betty was killed instantly when the car ran off the road on a curve and smashed into a tree. Corpus survived.

Manilans soon said the film festival building was haunted, and many refused to work there or go inside to see films. Imee Marcos called in a medium, who was said to be able to communicate with the dead, and brought him to the film festival building. The medium went into a trance. Normally, he spoke only in his native dialect. But in the trance, he suddenly spoke on in English: ‘Now there are 169,’ he intoned. ‘Betty is with us.’

In a 2005 documentary produced by GMA Network Channel 7: i-Witness, all 169 workers were traced and the records show that not more than a dozen died. Furthermore all the bodies were retrieved and were given a proper burial.

Legend

Of course with a tragedy like this, there are going to be restless souls attached to the building and some of these ghosts have been spooking guests of nearby buildings.

In one story, a stranger approached a passer-by, who gives him a calling card and asked him to telephone his family and tell them that he was all right, and that he would be leaving soon. When the passer-by made the call, a startled voice explained that her husband was dead -- his body was one of those encased in the film center.

Source:
- Beth Day Romulo, Inside the Palace: The Rise and Fall of Ferdinand & Imelda Marcos. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1987: 167-68.
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/sidetrip/blog/archives/42-The-Manila-Film-Center-mystery-A-ghostly-place-or-an-urban-legend.html
http://asiaparanormal.blogspot.com/2009/12/haunting-in-manila-film-center.html

Manananggal in Tondo

Manananggal, aswang and kapre are the common Filipino mythical creatures that somehow reached the urban city to plague and terrorize the people. These creatures are the famous subject for an interesting and goosebumping stories that stimulates the imagination of ones' mind. Until now, people still think that they're one of us, and sometimes, they are pointed to cause an inexplicable happening.

For this article, we'll be talking about manananggal. This frightening creature, according to legend, has the power of separating his lower body with his upper part only at night, then rejoin them back before dawn. It is also considered as a vampire because it feeds with human flesh. (For more about it, click here.)

The Story

According to some rumor, this manananggal had been on board a ship en route to Siquijor. But, for some reason, she got stranded in Manila. In some accounts, the ship that she was on got wrecked. Well, that's not the real story how the monster got in the city.

[Taken from the Internet:[a]]

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It was the presidential election month (May) in 1992, when people of Tondo, Manila was terrorized by a monster. They reported seeing a female manananggal roaming at night, hunting for a victim. This news, which was published in a tabloid, almost replaced the news updates about the election day. Filipinos, that time, are interested in both stories.

The story started to spread after a news paper (Daily News) published an article with an interview with a local woman of Tondo about the monster. Her name is Martina Sta. Rosa.

She told the reporter of the said newspaper, “She attacked me. I was just lucky I was able to get free. I saw half of her body. It was naked. She had long, scraggly hair, long arms, nails and sharp fangs.”

Her neighbor (Mr. Alfonso Bernardo), corroborated the tale stating, “We saw it fly away from her house.”

The woman named Teresita Beronqui was believed to be the said hideous monster. Her home was attacked by angry local people accompanied by a television crews. ABS-CBN reporter interviewed the elderly woman who through a veil of tears pleaded her innocence. The woman even claimed that she herself had been attacked by the monster and tried to prove this by showing the missing toes from one of her feet. However, a said vampire expert, after interrogating her, stated in a national television, the she was lying.

Another vampire expert was called to comment on the Mananaggal attack. According to him, the woman who was accused of being the monster was indeed a vampire, but she transformed back to her normal self after the last attack. However, when she was asked to explain the missing toe of the woman, he affirmly stated that she had failed to shape-shift back completely!

Another interview was conducted to bring out the truth if she really is a vampire or not. The reporter, named Cesar Soriano, produced a dried stingray tail. Well, Filipino knew that stingray tail is an effective weapon to repel monsters, especially if they (those monsters) are touched with it. But when the accused woman touched it, she never felt anything, except of course its roughness. If she really is a vampire, then she should have felt something bad on it.

Fact check:

People panicked over the thought of a manananggal in the city. Sociologists pointed out that the manananggal story is often used to keep people in line. In the Spanish era, it was used to persuade people to be more pious. In the 1950s, according to an essay by Jessica Zafra, some sources pointed out that Americans encouraged the spread of the manananggal story in the countryside by telling people that strangers wandering into their barrios could very well be manananggals. Thus, they had to report the presence of these strangers. In reality, it was said to be a strategy to identify rebels. Thus, the "presence" of a manananggal in Tondo actually made sense, as fear of her would help curb the nightly brawls that were rampant in the neighborhood. Even tough guys prefer staying home than encountering a creature that wants to have them as midnight snack.[b]

Aside of that, because the story rose in the midst of the election month, it might be a way of making people focus on the other much interesting story or be distracted on the political upheaval.[a]

Sources:
a. http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2010/07/neil-arnold-terror-of-tondo.html
b. http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/41192/urban-legends-that-drove-pinoys-crazy

The San Juanico Bridge has a bloody foundation

Legend

[Taken from Internet (PinoyExchange.com):]

"Imelda Marcos was in charge of building the bridge. She consulted a manghuhula who said that the bridge would never be finished unless the blood of children [would be spilled on the foundation]. So Imelda ordered [street children to be kidnapped] and [their throats were] slit on the bridge's location. Their bodies were thrown into the river. A mermaid or diwata who resided in the river saw the plight of the children and was saddened by it. She cursed Imelda. So the First Lady grew scales on her legs and she smelled fishy. That was why she wore long skirts and bathed as often as possible."

Variations

- It was also said that instead just spread the blood on the bridge, the blood itself was mixed to cement by the construction workers.
- Much scary version is, the bodies of the children are dropped to the cement mixer.

About

The San Juanico Bridge, renamed from Marcus Bridge, was the longest bridge in the Philippines. According to some rumors, it has foundation allegedly been made stronger by the blood of numerous street children (some say babies). When it was under construction, there happened coincidentally a kidnapping in Samar-Leyte areas. Thus, they theorized that the kids were offered to a pagan or demonic ritual to guarantee the strength of the structure. Imelda Marcos, being in charge with the building, was said to be the master mind of the said events.

This is why, people say, the bridge is haunted by many lost spirits. Others say that the success of the bloody rituals done for San Juanico Bridge encouraged others to do the same for their bridges and buildings. Only one detail was constant: the use of street kids as sacrifice.

Sources:

http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/41192/urban-legends-that-drove-pinoys-crazy

The Robinson's Half-Human Half-Snake

The belief of a snake twin is very old, way back 17th century, when Fray Ignacio Francisco Alzina's 1668 "History of the Bisayan Islands" mentioned about it. Remember Amaya - the main character in GMA Channel 7's TV series entitled Amaya? The idea of snake twin of Amaya came from him.

While for Chinese, snake is a good-luck charm for businesses, that's the reason why some of them keep snakes in their house, more especially in bodega. Well, animals should be fed. (You'll know what I mean.)

What is it?

It is a supernatural being (definitely a monster) which is almost incredible but many people do believe it exist. No one knows the exact figure of what it truly look like (maybe similar to that picture above), just, they said, it is a Half-Human Half-Snake.

When did this happen?

This incident and/or urban legend became famous in the midst of '80s.

Where is it?

They said it dwells in a secret room (or in the basement, or over the building) of the Robinson's Galleria along EDSA, Ortigas.

Who owns it?

John Gokongwei, owner of Robinsons and Universal Robina Corporation, is said to be the father (some say, it is his pet only) of this creature. It is the twin brother of Robina Gokongwei, the daughter of John Gokongwei.

What makes it famous?

It became famous because of Alice Dixson, a popular actress in the Philippines during the late 80's and early 90's.

According to some news and information, the Robinson snake man has a spy cam that enables him to see beautiful woman who use the dressing room of the mall. If the Robinson Snakeman wants to get the girl to eat her or just to have fun, all he had to do is to click the switch button that commands the floor from the dressing room to open. Well Alice is very unfortunate that day because she used the wrong dressing room. Alice fell down the snakes dungeon and she is supposed to be eaten but she is able to escape.

Alice was questioned about this in a TV talk show, but while in the middle of conversation between her and the host, the show was cut abruptly for some reason. Then when it came back again, Alice was no where in the show any more. Now, whenever she is interviewed about this, she often keeps her silence. According to the news, Gokongwei family paid Alice Dixon a large amount of money just to keep her mouth quiet about the issue, and asked her to leave the country and go to Canada. The lawyer allegedly hired to settle the affair was Solicitor Frank Chavez.

There is no assurance if the story about Alice is real or not but the fact she is silent about the issue, makes you think, it is probably real. Alice Dixon never confirmed this story whenever she is interviewed about it.

Aside of Alice Dixson, is there any other incidents of women vanish suddenly without any reason?

Unfortunately, there is. According to my interviewees, there are two women became victim of this snake. The two are employees of the same mall.

Parents of the ladies came to the mall to know and find out where their daughters go, and why they didn't go home anymore. The mall's manager only said, Maybe they go with there boyfriends secretly and decided not to go home any more. But when they checked out the time cards of the two employees, they found out that the two didn't go out of there work yet.

Another rumor (circulated, '90s) has it that the real Rita Avila was dead and the one we know is only his double or a clone (just like Bongbong Marcos).

Where is it now?

Again, according to my interviewees, its now dead. So today, the mall is safe to go.

Where did the story originated?

I forgot to add what I discovered about where actually did this legend came from.

There was this similar story from Davao City. It spread first before the legend of Robinson Snake scared Metro Manila.

Legend has it, that there was this cursed pregnant woman who went to Davao City, expecting it to just vanish. She gave birth to twins. The other one is normal, while his twin brother was half-human half-snake. Their parents accepted them, even the latter was a monster. However, when it grew up, it was very gluttonous. It always find something to eat. But because the family owns a shopping mall in Davao, they imprisoned it to fitting rooms so that whoever enters on it will be victimized.

This story was almost (perhaps, wholly) identical to the Robinson Galleria Ortegas legend.

Maybe this similar legend from Davao City, which is miles away from Metro Manila, can disprove the existence of the monster.

Variations:

- The reason why the R of the Robinson's logo is in the shape of a snake.
- Instead of a spy cam installed in the fitting rooms, the mirrors there were actually one-way windows, from which the snake-man could view its prey before activating the trap door. (But in another urban legend, the one-way window was for the enjoyment of people watching on the other side.)
- An earlier story has it that the Gokongwei son, it was him who had a snake twin, not Robina herself.
- Mr. Lance Gokungwei, rumored to have scales in his arms.

Sources:
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2363214.aspx
http://www.gl3nnx.net/blog/urban-story/robinsons-galleria-snake-a-half-snake-half-human.htm
Roseann Coscolluela
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippine-urban-legends-093005285.html

The WHITE LADY at the Balete Drive

About

A White Lady is a type of female ghost reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with some local legend of tragedy. White Lady legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing or being betrayed by a husband or fiancé. They are often associated with an individual family line or said to be a harbinger of death similar to a banshee.

In the Philippines, according to the people who had seen this, she is a beautiful lady with long hair (sometimes it covers her face), wearing a white flowing dress (somewhat like that of a gown or just like a loose Sadaku's dress) slightly covered with blood stains or just simply a dirt, sometimes having a blank face or with face bathed with blood.

First version of origination:

According to some people, a woman was raped at the same spot at Balete Drive by Japanese soldiers in the time of World War II. Being not justified till now, the woman's ghost remain to avenge her death.

Second version of origination:

According to legend, she was driving in Balete Drive when she crashed her car resulting to her death.

Variations

[Taken from Unsolvedmysteries.com [1]:]

One night a taxi driver is halted by a woman wearing a white, flowing dress (I'm not sure if she was white herself or what). The curious driver picks her up and she directed him to a lonely, dark, tree-lined road in New Manila called Balete Drive. They stopped in front of a house. When the driver turned around to see her get off, she had disappeared. Shocked and bewildered, the driver knocks at the entrance of the house, but the occupants tell the driver that the woman was actually dead, and that it was not the first time that this had happened. :shock:

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[Taken from Wikipedia.org [2]:]

In other instances it is said that when solitary people drive by Balete Drive in the wee hours of the morning, they tend to see the face of a woman in white in the rear view mirror for a split second before the apparition disappears. Some accidents on this road are blamed on the White Lady. Another story tells about a taxi crossing the dreaded Balete Drive and a very beautiful woman was asking for a ride. The taxi driver looks behind and the woman looks like her face was full of blood and bruises. The taxi driver escaped from the taxi from fear.

Those stories have one similarity - both drivers of a taxicab or a car saw the white lady in the Balete Drive. It's very obvious actually. But the question is - WHY? Why did she often appear to them? Perhaps, the most credible version of her origin might be her death through car crush. Because, she might be, at that time, waiting for someone to help her, that's why she often halts the driver for a ride. For the first version of her origin, it became unbelievable because if she wants revenge then why would she halt drivers for a ride and never made harm on them. The accidents happened on the Balete Drive was thought to be done by the ghost. But it doesn't mean, she made revenge through that accident.

Other Stories

[Taken from A book [3]:]

Balete Drive Experience By: jason One night in 1993, my parents were driving home and they passed Balete Drive. It was 1 or 2 in the morning and my mom was asleep in the passenger seat. My dad saw 2 houses that looked like they were built in the 50s. They were facing each other and both had their gates open. Their lights were on and saw a lady in a white nightgown. He assumed that there was a party there and that the lady was about to cross, my dad slowed down. When he got close, she hadn't moved from the sidewalk. Thinking that she was letting him pass first, he accelerated. That was when she jumped directly in front of the car! Her face was directly in front of him but her facce was blurry, like when a camera's out of focus. Instead of cursing, my dad just said, "SORRY!" Then poof! The lady disappeared. "Wake up. I think I just ran over someone," my dad told my mom as he shook her awake. They both got out of the car and looked everywhere - under the car and beside it, but there wasn't anybody there. After the incident, my dad always tried to look for the two 50s style houses. He never found them again. Maybe they went back into time?

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[Taken from Internet [4]:]

Three men and a white lady This isn't the first time Mike, Steven and Jerry visited the Philippines. In fact, they have been in the country at least twice when their parents used to work there for a time. The three friends spent the first few days visiting tourist spots, beaches, and generally roamed the places that get crowded with fellow foreigners. In between that, they hung around with their acquaintances and hosts who entertained them with stories and anecdotes. Among the stories that were exchanged was the one about the White Lady of Balete Drive. All three of them listened in silence as their hosts described the urban legend for the first time, none uttering so much as a whistle. When the discussion broke up, and they headed to the room they shared, Jerry, with a mischievous smile, suggested that they take a drive down Balete Drive one night to see if it was true. Both Mike and Steven, not exactly fans of the paranormal, looked at their companion with skeptical expressions on their faces. The matter seemed to have been forgotten as the days went by, until one evening .... The three friends left the party ten minutes before midnight, and staggered to their car. Steven, being the most sober among them, since he never drank anything with alcohol content, got behind the wheel. Mike got into the front passenger seat, and Jerry slid into the back seat. As soon as Mike pulled the car out of the parking area and into the street, Jerry was already fast asleep, snoring loudly. After approximately five minutes, Mike noticed that they were along what is famously known as Balete Drive, with the huge Balete trees towering above them on both sides of the road. As he drove along, he muttered under his breath : "Well, Mike, Jerry finally got his wish ... too bad he's not in shape to enjoy it.." "Yeah," Mike replied, jerking his thumb at their sleeping companion, "too bad for him ... " At that moment, Steve had chosen to sneak a glance on his rear view mirror to check on his friend's condition. What he saw shocked him. Seated beside Jerry is a figure in transluscent white, looking ahead calmly, without any expression. Returning his gaze towards the road, Mike muttered in a low voice : "Man, I think you gotta drive faster ..." "Why ?" Steven replied. "Trust me, man ... or if you don't, why don't you take a look at the rearview mirror ?" Mike countered. At this, Steven stole a glance at the rear view mirror and saw her .... Steven : "I think you're right ..." Mike : "So ... what do you say ?... we haul ass outta here ?.." Steven : "Yeah ..." The three friends are quite fortunate that there was little traffic that night in that area ... They were back at their place in little over an hour, and bundling their semi-conscious friend into the house with them, Mike and Steven shut the door behind them and secured it. The next morning, both Mike and Steven related their encounter with their hosts, who told them : "Well ... at least you did have an experience of a lifetime, right ?" At this, all three were dumbstruck.

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[Taken from an article [5]:]

HAUNTING ON BALETE DRIVE(Rudy) This is a story which appeared in the newspapers in Manila for quite a spell in the early 50's (around 1951 or 1953). It was a popular rumor at first among taxi and bus drivers, until it spirited up to the minds of the newspaper editors and the local radios. There was a street named Balete Drive (the name has changed) which connected downtown Manila and the next city north from there, Quezon City. A major street (named Gilmore at the time) crossed this street at an intersection closer to downtown Quezon City. Not too far from this intersection was a well-known school and college for girls. I'm not sure now whether the school was north or south of this intersection, but anyway it was in that area. This was the place where the sightings had been reported. A cab driver picked up a woman passenger at around 8:00 in the evening near the said school. She was young, pretty, wearing a white party dress and perfume. On closing the door, the driver of course waited for direction as he started driving. He got direction and everything would have been just like any other night, but he noticed something strange. The woman's voice he heard seem not to have come from the passenger but from inside his ears. Weird, but then he doubted himself, may be he was wrong, who else could have spoken? So he continued driving. It didn't take long and the driver glanced at his rear view mirror just as any cab driver would do especially when the passenger is pretty, beautiful, gorgeous and what not. There was no passenger within view of the mirror. He turned his head to look at the passenger. The passenger seat was empty. The common argument when this rumor appeared was the woman probably jumped out the window. You be the judge. The school in the area I earlier mentioned was and still is to this day a private school and college for girls and young women who belonged among the wealthy, prestigious families in the country. They have come and gone into all sorts of destiny, from successful politicians and prominent professionals and business entrepreneurs down to prostitutes and the mentally ill. Some are now dead, by natural death, accidents and some by fatal crime. The last one probably brought about the haunts on taxi and bus drivers. The preceding is a fictional, but possible idea of what happened at the Balete Drive. Criminal activities are not frequent, but not impossible in places such as this. Formal or wild parties are one of the excitements which propel the energies of some of the young women at school - needless to say. What happens before or after the culmination of these excitements is what pushes this young women into any kind of fatal crime possible. Kidnap, rape and homicide are the typical crimes. Before or after the party at around 8:00 pm, an unfortunate young, pretty, high school or college woman in white party dress and perfume could end up dead from this type of crime, probably committed by a sex maniac driving a taxi. She would be missing and the news about her would invade the local news and even TV and radio for a while, then nothing. Isn't this very common? What would be left for this unfortunate victim who probably had young, ardent ambitions, dreams and plans for her life and her future? Something supernatural and/or paranormal would be all that is left so she can send a message about her unexpected, unfortunate death and may be even equally punish the criminal. Hence the hauntings. The hauntings ended towards the latter part of the 50's perhaps after whoever the criminal was (may be a cab driver and beyond) had met awesome punishment(s) from the reality beyond fantasy where the young, pretty woman wearing a party dress and perfume would materialize and appear at the Balete Drive under a specific occasion.

Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Lady_(ghost)
[1]http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm540224.html?t=Urban%20Legends
[2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Lady_(ghost)#Philippines
[3]True Philippine Ghost Stories Book 8. Reginald Ting Ed. PSICOM Publishing Inc. 2004. Quezon City, Philippines.
[4]http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1108486-THREE-MEN-AND-A-WHITE-LADY
[5]http://www.true-ghost-stories.com/Phillipines.html

Jose Rizal is Jack The Ripper

Claim:

"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. He was so called because of a letter who was written by someone who claims he was the killer, however the letter was considered as a hoax. Another names to him are "The Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron".

While Jose Rizal was in London, Jack The Ripper was present and when he went back to the Philippines, the killings had stopped. It was very mysterious! Could it be just a coincidence? Or not?

By the way, Jack The Ripper likes girls, while Jose Rizal was quite similar to him. They both have the same initials too, J.R.

For those who don't know Jose Rizal, he is the national hero of the Philippines though not legally official.

José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (Jose Rizal) was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot.[Click Here]

Let's find out...

Legend:

While searching everything about Jose Rizal in the internet, I stumbled upon this summary of his life while living at London.

Rizal was in London from May 1888 to January 1889, in the British Library copying "Sucesos de las islas Filipinas" by hand because there were no photocopying machines at the time. Jack the Ripper was active around this time, and since we do not know what Rizal did at night or on the days he was not in the library, some people would like to believe Rizal is suspect. They argue that when Rizal left London, the Ripper murders stopped. They say that Jack the Ripper must have had some medical training, based on the way his victims were mutilated. Rizal, of course, was a doctor. Jack the Ripper liked women, and so did our own Rizal. And -- this is so obvious that many overlooked it -- Jose Rizal's initials match those of Jack the Ripper!

Infos

Actually the case was still unsolved. Till now everything about it is a speculation. Here's a brief information about Rizal and the Ripper in London:

Jose Rizal	Jack the Ripper
He was a doctor. (An ophtalmologist particularly)	He is suspected to be a doctors (the removal of the victims’ organs implied anatomical knowledge).
He is a multi-talented person, and could even speak English fluently.	The Ripper is an Englishmen.
Rizal lived in Beckett family at Crescent, London.	Ripper killed prostitutes in Whitechapel, London.
He is known for having many lovers.	His victims are all women.
Rizal copied, by hand, the book Sucesos de las islas Filipinas at daylight.	Ripper killed prostitutes always at night time in the East End.
Rizal is a Freemason.	In the word 'Juwes', which might mean Freemason, makes him related somehow to it.
He leaved London on January, 1889.	On July, 1889, another victim was believed to be killed by the Ripper.
Jose Rizal's initial is JR.	Jack the Ripper's initial is also JR.

This is the events that happened in London at the time when Jose Rizal and Jack the Ripper was in the said city. (In chronological order.)

-----

DATE:	Jose Rizal	Jack the Ripper
February 3, 1888	As the controversy over his novel raged, Rizal got involved in the Kalamba tenant's fight to correct generations-old abuses commited against them. Thus, the security for the Rizal family became a problem. Then, they advised Jose Rizal to leave the Philippines. He departed secretly for Hong Kong, then to Japan, and to United States.	-----
May 13 to 16, 1888	Dr. Jose P. Rizal stayed at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York City.	-----
May 16, 1888	He gathered enough funds for a trip to London onboard the luxurious liner CITY OF ROME.	-----
May 24, 1888	He arrived in Liverpool, then went on to London, where he eventually settled down at No. 37 Chalcot, Crescent (with the Beckett Family).	-----
-----	While in London, Dr. Rizal copied the book Sucesos de las islas Filipinas written by Antonio de Morga in the library of British Museum.[1]	-----
June 13, 1888	He wrote a letter to his family informing them where he was that time.	-----
August 31, 1888	-----	Jack the Ripper started his killings. (First victim, Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols)
September 8, 1888	-----	Jack the Ripper killed his second victim - Annie Chapman.
September 25, 1888	-----	A post card was sent to 'Dear Boss', the head of the Central News Agency, signed 'Yours truly, Jack the Ripper.'
September 30, 1888	-----	Jack the Ripper killed two women in the same day - Elizabeth Stride and Catharine Eddowes, found half-a-mile apart.
-----	-----	[The words 'The Juwes are the men that Will not be Blamed for nothing', were chalked, seemingly by Jack, on a doorway immediately above a portion of the bloodstained apron of victim Catharine Eddowes. The word 'Juwes' may mean a code-word for the Freemasons, or the Jews.]
November 9, 1888	-----	Jack the Ripper killed his last victim, Mary Jane Kelly.
-----	[Dr. Jose Rizal wrote letters to his friend Blumentritt from London, however there were no letters written to his family or friends from July, 1888 - November 14, 1888.]	[Between August 31 to November 9, 1888, five prostitutes were killed in Whitechapel, always late at night.]
January, 1889	Dr. Jose P. Rizal left London.	-----
July, 1889	-----	After nine months from the last Ripper killing, Alice Mackenzie was murdered, and once claimed as a Ripper victim, although the police did not think so at the time.
	-----	There were fifteen leading candidates for the true identity of Jack the Ripper. Three of them were highly suspected, namely Montague Druitt; 'Kosminski’, a Polish Jew; and ‘Michael Ostrog, a Russian doctor.’ All were documented in MacNaghten Memorandum. But the more highly suspected and convincing of the three is Montague Druitt.[2][3]

[1]The book tells a fair presentation of a 16th century Philippine culture and civilization. (If you notice some defects in Filipino race, maybe you read the book yourself in order to make a better judgement of the present.)

[2]There appeared to be a good deal of evidence linking him with the Ripper. In 1913, Mac-Naghten told the Daily Mail that he had ‘a very clear idea’ who the Ripper was, but had ‘destroyed all the documents and there is now no record of the secret information which came into my possession at one time or another.’ A journalist with good police contacts, G.R. Sims, stated in 1903 that ‘the body of the man suspected by the chiefs of Scotland Yard, and by his own friends, who were in communication with the Yard, was found in the Thames.’ Druitt indeed committed suicide in the Thames around November 30th, 1888, shortly after being dismissed as a schoolteacher in Blackheath, and three weeks after the last Ripper murder. Druitt, who was also a barrister, had chambers at King’s Bench Walk, within walking distance of the East End, and apparently had a cousin who was a doctor with offices in the Minories, on the border of the East End.

[3]In some sources, the evidences pointed James Maybrick to be Jack the Ripper. Well, all or almost all are convincing that he indeed is the killer.

Other things about Jose Rizal:

He was a Malay.

He would have been 27 years old at the time of the Ripper killings.

He was short, had dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes.

He came from a well to do family, was well dressed and looked respectable.

He was executed in the Philippines on December 30, 1896 at the age of 35.

Had a romantic relationship with Gertrude Beckett - daughter of Charles Beckett.

After he died, his mother tried to procure his assets which consisted of some pretty nice jewelry including gold cuff links and other baubles of diamonds and amethysts (gold chain with a red stone seal?)

Conclusion:

Well, as soon as Jack the Ripper is still unknown, no one can say that Jose Rizal isn't him. We, Filipinos see this intelligent little guy a hero, good, patriot, and brave man for writing Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Are we so sure that there is no bad side of him? If you notice, in El Fili, Simoun is brave, dark and vengeful who thinks of killing the influential people in Paulita and Juanito Pelaez's wedding day. I don't mean of anything. I just open some possibilities which make him suspect of being JACK THE RIPPER.

However, if it is true that Alice Mackenzie was indeed one of Jack the Ripper's victims, then probably Jose Rizal was not him because at the time she was killed, Jose Rizal was not present anymore in London. Aside of that, there is no strong evidence to prove that he is the Ripper. They don't even have a connection with each other. I personally believe he is NOT.

I asked my professor in 'The Life of Jose Rizal' once about this intriguing controversy. She didn't tell me exactly if she do believe that Dr. Jose Rizal is indeed Jack the Ripper. She told me that even the the most silent person in the world do have a secret, and Rizal might be one of them. She also told me that there are some proofs that point him to be the killer, but not too strong to hold the claim. I asked her what proofs, but she just became silent and closed the topic eventually. I don't know if she knew something. But one thing for sure, as long as Jack the Ripper is still not identified, claims of his identity will just rose from no where.

I highly advise you to search for yourself information that disproves the legend, not to prove it. You know, its embarrassing if you believe he is. Jose Rizal is the perfect picture of a true Filipino, not only for being small but for being just HIM - patriot, talented, multi-lingual ... name it. Remember, Ninoy Aquino died the same reason why our national hero die for. I can't imagine if my favorite hero is a killer. I don't know if you feel the same way too.

Sources:

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/philippine_urban_legends
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal
AmateurSleuth: forum.casebook.org
http://filipinohome.com/02_03_01rizal_london.html
Book: The Hunt for Jack the Ripper by: William D. Rubinstein

Jose Rizal - Adolf Hitler's and Mao Zedong's Father?

Is Adolf Hitler his son?

The claim that Adolf Hitler was Rizal’s progeny must be based on the following facts:

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 (that means he could have been conceived sometime in August, 1888), in the little village of Braunau, near the German- Austrian border.

He was born an Austrian and remained one until the 1930s.
The name of Hitler mother was Klara Polz.
At one time she was a maid in Vienna.
Hitler always considers a town Linz, in Austria, as his hometown (in his Political Testament he referred to " my hometown of Linz on the Danube").
Hitler's oldest brother, Gustav born on May 17, 1885, and his sister Ida, born in 1886, both died before he was born.
Bavaria was considered the "cradle" of Nazism.
The Nazis made Japan one of the Axis powers. At one point they tried to prove that the Japanese were Aryans, to make the Japanese members of the "master race."

Now combine the above information with the following, culled from the life of Rizal:

On February 1, 1886, he left Paris for Germany. He went to Heidelberg, Wilhelmsfeld, Munich (in Bavaria), all somewhat near a German–Austrian border; on August 9, 1886 he left for Leipzig ("visiting various German cities along the way," one book says), arriving there on August 14. In October he went to Dresden and then to Berlin.
In Berlin he finished Noli Me Tangere. One of the book’s characters is named Maria Clara.
On May 11, 1887, Rizal began his Grand Tour of Europe. He went to Dresden, Teschen (now Decin in the former Czechoslovakia), Prague, and then Brunn (where he lost a diamond stickpin), and Vienna (where he got back his diamond stickpin, which was found by maid in the hotel he stayed in Brunn) in Austria.
On May 24, 1887, he left Vienna by riverboat to see sights on the Danube River (on the boat he saw paper napkins for the first time). His voyage ended at Linz.
From Linz he went to Munich (where Hitler attempted a putsch in 1923) and Nuremberg (site of the Nazi Party rallies and the War Crimes trials), and other German cities.
Rizal was in the German Empire, sometimes past the German-Austrian border, from February 1886 until he went to Switzerland in early June 1887.
Rizal was again in Europe from May 24, 1888, until October 18, 1891. He was in London, Paris, Brussels, Madrid, Biarritz, Ghent. He was in Europe during the time Hitler was conceived and when he was born.
Rizal in 1888 had an affair with a Japanese woman, Seiko Usui, when he visited Japan. She had an only daughter, Yuriko, by a foreign husband some years after her encounter with Rizal. Yuriko later married the son of a Japanese politician.

Put all these information together and you may be able to conclude the following:

Hitler was conceived either in 1887 when Rizal passed through Linz or other towns (such as Brunn - How do you think he lost the diamond stickpin? And who was the "maid" who found it later and gave it to Blumentritt who forwarded it to Vienna?) near the Austrian border. In which case Hitler’s older siblings were fictitious, to cover up his mother’s being pregnant with him. In other words, Hitler was actually born before 1889.

Or he was conceived in August 1888, when Rizal was supposedly in London. Or perhaps in September 1888, when Rizal went to Paris for a week (to have a rendezvous with Klara?). Maybe he went to Paris in 1889 so he could communicate more easily with the now-expecting Klara? Klara Polzl’s affair with Rizal may have centered around Linz, which is why the Hitler family moved there later (so Mama Hitler could live where she had An affair to Remember), which would explain Hitler’s fondness for the town.

Finally, Seiko Usui’s only daughter was not really fathered by her husband, Alfred Charlton. He was simply a front. Yuriko, you see, was Rizal’s daughter! And Hitler knew she was his half-sister. She used her influence on her brother Adolf to persuade him to enter into an alliance with Japan (making it one of the Axis powers). Which is why Japan invaded the Philippines!

Yuriko made it clear to Hirohito that Hitler would appreciate it if his ally were to take over his father’s homeland. And of course the reason why Hitler wanted to become dictator of Germany was because his natural father had spent some of the most interesting years of his life there!

That might be the rationale behind such a fantastic claim based on information that can be gathered from any high school textbook on Rizal and any good biography of Adolf Hitler. Naturally, this can only be done through selective use of the evidence, but it does make for an amusing piece of historical fiction.

Is Mao Zedong his son?

About Mao Zedong:

Now, as to the idea that Mao Zedong was also Rizal’s son. Unfortunately this claim cannot be supported by even the most spurious evidence. Mao Zedong was born in 1893, in Hunan Province, which you could say is kind of near Hong Kong. But at that time (1893), Rizal was in exile in Dapitan. Now it would have been possible for Rizal to scamper around Europe and get Klara pregnant without anybody noticing, but he couldn’t possibly have jumped into a boat and rowed to Hongkong without being caught. He did pass through Hong Kong in 1888 and 1891 but he never seems to have visited other parts of China (unless you count Xiamen and Macao). So there are no details that can be manipulated.

Conclusion

Although the evidence about Adolf Hitler is somewhat reasonable but actually the analysis is just based on imaginative thought of finding out if it is true or not. And Mao Zedong, definitely, is not his son whether there is some people who claims its true, but evidences found in their biographies can't support even a single truth.

Here's other conclusion:
Blogger and urban legends Junkie Paulo Ordoveza cites Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), History teacher Glenn Garfield Ang's detailed chronology of Rizal's stint in Europe from Jose Rizal, the Renaissance Man, a reference CD-ROM available at the AdMU History Department. "Rizal was in London from June 1888 to September 1888, after which he went to France and spent some time there," Ang writes. "Hitler's birthday is April 20, 1889. Giving an allowance of nine months from conception to birth, Rizal should have been in Austria in July 1888, if he were indeed Hitler's natural father. But this is contradicted by the fact that Rizal was in London in July 1888 and remained there until September 1888. Therefore, it is completely impossible for Rizal to have been the natural father of Hitler."

These exercises in foolishness prove how creative Filipinos can be. What other people would be able to make the bogus claim that one of their heroes fathered the man who almost turned Europe into a "howling wilderness" (to borrow from the instructions for the extermination of Samar by American forces at the turn of the century). That would have been poetic justice. The brown man strikes back and all that sort of thing.

Sources:
http://www.joserizal.ph/fa03.html
Adolf Rizal (and his Half Brother, Rizal Zedong)
Manuel L. Quezon III, Saturday, September 17, 1994

http://iceangelfire17.blogspot.com/2009/04/la-solidaridad-adolf-hitler-rizals-son.html
LA SOLIDARIDAD: ADOLF HITLER - RIZAL’S SON!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 4:51 AM | Posted by iceangelfire17

http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/41192/urban-legends-that-drove-pinoys-crazy/3/