The Ghost of Death March
I know that many are waiting for the Part 2 of the Engkanto story in this barrio siete but since it is Independence Day, I decided to post this entry to commemorate those who had fallen for us to gain freedom during World War 2. They were lost souls. They suffered a lot. They relive the agonies for people who can hear them. This is the story of the ghost of Death March in the Philippines.
Let me describe first the march of death from Bataan to Cabanatuan. (wikipedia)
The march, involving the forcible transfer of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese in the Philippines from the Bataan peninsula to prison camps, was characterized by wide-ranging physical abuse and murder, and resulted in very high fatalities inflicted upon the prisoners and civilians along the route by the armed forces of the Empire of Japan. Beheadings, cut throats and casual shootings were the more common and merciful actions — compared to bayonet stabbings, rapes, disembowelments, numerous rifle butt beatings and a deliberate refusal to allow the prisoners food or water while keeping them continually marching for nearly a week (for the slowest survivors like General Jacob Vass) in tropical heat. Falling down or inability to continue moving was tantamount to a death sentence, as was any degree of protest or expression of displeasure.
This I never knew before this ghostly encounter of the souls who perished in the march.
We lived in Angeles City when I was growing up. My father was hired as Chief Mechanic and part of the perks was free housing for him to relocate from Manila.
For some reasons that were never shared to us by our parents, we moved to another place and rented a newly-built split level house in a place that was being developed as a subdivision. At that time that we transferred, there were only two completed units,both of them already occupied. The third was still under construction.
For three mornings in a row, the adults in the breakfast table buzzed with ghost and other scary stories. Following their conversations for the past days, while savoring the pandesal soaked in hot chocolate (some things that they would never allow if they were not busy talking), I gathered that these were all about those strange sounds that suddenly permeated the place coming from nowhere at exactly every 12 midnight.
Sounds of digging,shouting, crying, marching sounds such as heavy thumping of boots; gunshots, bodies falling…I mentally took note of the time. It was 12 o clock. I would not dare remain awake at that time. I was not aware yet of my ” ghost radar” so I was just an ordinary kid who was scared of dark and Casper’s unfriendly relatives.
That night,I slept early but woke up in the middle of the night. All the lights were out and the adults were pretty quiet. I could see the luminous clock hands from our alarm clock. It was 10 to 12. I remembered the story. I pulled up my blanket as if it could block noises and stopped ghosts that I imagined to be circling my bed. I heard the digging sound. At first, I thought it was emanating from the unit under construction. But who in the hell would work at that time of the might.Then came the shouts and the gunshots and the sounds of falling of bodies. I was about to shout and run to my parents’ bed when my mom covered my mouth and said sssh. So, they were looking out of the partly opened windows. They had been doing that for successive nights and they could not just pinpoint a specific direction where the noises were coming from.
We saw the people in the other house. They too were awake and looking out. The noises became louder. The feeling that there was a multitude of people walking got past us. I was holding on to the skirt of my mom. The loud cries of anguish, the conversations in different languages;Japanese and Pilipino were the most audible ones such as Bakero…Takbo na…Ayan na.. ..were heard by all of us. It seemed that,that night when all of us were awake, the spirits of the soldiers who were in the DEATH MARCH relived history for us.
The owner/developer explained to my parents that our place seemed to be in the path of the Death March going to Tarlac in World War 2. He had the place blessed by a priest.
Except for the digging sound, we never heard of the “Death March” again. Howlings of the dogs at night, however warned the residents that there were souls meandering in the area.
The Ca t
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The Cat is a part-time educator who was also a former Dean. She is a CPA with a PhD in Economic Development and Doctorate in Business Admin., enjoying her early retirement because of her disability; of being brain challenged, hehehe! that's according to her.
Hi Ms.Cat, that is a scary encounter with the “ghost” of DEATH MARCH (DM). I don’t have a real encounter with the ghost of DM but I have seen an old lady in our neigborhood back in my Barrio Siete who was haunted by the ghost of DM. My mum told told me that her two sons (USAFFE?)were part of the DM, one survived but the other son was never seen after the liberation. And as a mum she hoped against hope to see the other son alive until her “sanity” gave in. As a child, she will tell to us stories about war and the “GABALDON” in the town used to be a garrison. Intermittently during her storytelling she will mention about her son and wonders where he is now. You will see in her eyes and hear from her voice the “ghost” of DM. Every All Souls day she lights candles around her backyard. But when she was still younger, my Mum tells me that she goes as far as CAPAS to light candles during All Souls day…
now that old people who were witnesses of the horror of the Japanese Occupation had long since died or are very old to reminisce the past, we can just read from the history books.
i did not know about death march then. My grandmother who was also a mother of two sons who died during the War never related a story. It was too painful for her to remember.
naku mam cat maraming kwento ang aking grandma that time kasi isa sa mga messanger ang aking lowla na nakaranas din na makulata ng baril ng hapon at mabugbog sarado
Mam Cat,
this one is touching and scary at the same time.
I really was scared in that place. That was where we were residing when my father died. After he was buried, my mother decided to move residence.
Huling hirit bago ako humimlay Mam Cat.
Medyo rele ng konti kasi Bataan and multo. Naalala ko meron akong lahok para sa weekly activity ng Litratong Pinoy (promote ba) tungkol sa mga orbs and images captured sa photos na kinuha namin sa loob ng Malinta Tunnel. Di masyadong malinaw ‘yung images. Medyo eerie.
Pasensya na po share ko lang kung type niyo, hehe
http://penname30.blogspot.com/2009/05/litratong-pinoy-4-alam-mo-ba.html
Gudnite er good morning na pala.
thank you sa link yami.
Oo nga ang Corregidor din daw ay maraming istorya ng multo.
Ang iba nakikita ang mga orbs sa retrato. meron isang video recently kung saan, hindi lang orb kung hindi shadow na nacapture, nagmove at nagcreate ng impression sa isang upuan na parang may naupo talagang isang hindi nakikitang entity.
Hello Mam Cat! Hmmmmm so, you’re also a witness of the ghosts. I too have relatives in Tarlac and do stay there every summer. A cousin of mine can “see” and describes everything she “see”. I too have heard of the march and the chain that binds feet of people.
In that ancestral house, there are 5 katanas from Japanese officials though in display, it seems that when the anniversary approaches, we hear screeching of the steel blade from the scabbard. But they are in display.
rob,
yon ang una kong makaexperience ng ghost encounters.
that time, matatakutin pa ako.
yep, yong lugar namin daw talaga ang dinaanan ng Death march papuntang Tarlac. malapit kami noon sa highway.
Hmmmm same here..Saan kayo Tarlac?
no, angeles city.
Ah Oki..
Share ko lang:
Sinecelebrate dito sa New Mexico ang Death March every year. I guess majority of the American troops who were at Death March were from New Mexico. May government building nga dito sa Santa Fe named after Bataan. There are still few Death March veterans here. In their honor, every year (March ata) thousands of participants – American soldiers and some other people- would join the 26.2 mile Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico.
Ito yung website for more info:
http://www.bataanmarch.com/
mukhang mga turista nakisali sa rin ata. not sure.
Interesting information. Good thing to know. meron ba tayong ganyan sa Pilipinas?
o baka pagdidibatihan pa natin kung sino ang mas matapang sa pagpapalaya ng bayan laban sa mga DAYUHAN, ang HUKBALAHAP ba? o ang Sandatahang Amerikano kabalikat ang Sandatahang Gerilyang Militar ng Pilipinas laban sa Hapon.
interesting information Reesie! i was actually suprised, sa Washington walang memorial ang Bataan march other than the street sa tabi nang Philippine Embassy ata yun
thank you for the info ressie.
Natatawa nga ako kasi ang pronunciation nila sa Bataan is Beyteyn. Hahaha.
Also, some of the participants, mostly soldiers, would carry 35 lbs pack of load para ma feel talaga nila ang reenactment ng Death March. Ang mga Bataan Death March survivors ay manonood lang.
A record of over 4,400 soldiers and and civilians were there to pay tribute to the original soldiers who were in the death march.
Kaya pala sa New Mexico, kasi one artillery – the 200th Coast Artillery – was from New Mexico National Guard.
Correction:-The artillery 200th Coast,who were captured by the Japanese, are from New Mexico National Guard.
Hehehe.
Ms. Cat, katakot naman ang experience mo. Buti nalang di pa ako nakakakita or nakakaramdam ng mga kung ano anong mga kababalaghan.
Question: What do you think of having a third eye – do you consider it as a gift?
nakakatouch naman ito ressie. sa atin yata wala na. isa binago na yata ang date ng Fall of Bataan kasi bakit daw pinagdiriwang. hindi nila madistinguish ang pinagdiriwang at to remember or to commemorate.
Correction ulit: Lol
The members of the 200th Coast Artillery who were captured by the Japanese were from NM National Guard.
Hanubeh!
@Ms Cat, I was actually amazed when I learned about this. Oo nga, dyan sa atin.. wala naman celebrasyon in honor of those who lost their lives and those who survived during the Fall of Bataan.
American west: beyteyn, (Bataan)
bisaya: bitin! how big?
tagalog: kulang, how much?
Newyorker: hahahaha!
April 9 is the Araw ng Kagitingan na cincelebrate in honor of our countrymen who perished in World War 2.
April 9 is The Fall of Bataan Day dati.
My great grandpa is also believed to have perished on the Death March. Hanggang ngayon, bawat taon, may “padasal” pa rin para sa kanya.
that is very thoughtful for great grandchildren. the prayers actually help for them to have peace.
I consider it as a gift and a curse.
When I have not accepted it, I got scared every time, I get some messages. Everywhere I go, different entities try to communicate.
There are a lot of them.
kung nakita ninyo ang movie ni Whoopee Goldberg where every spirit likes to get a “line” to the living, that is really how it is.
When you have mastered the “signing off ” of the channels, then you can filter who you want to talk to, otherwise, you will not have peace.
after an episode, you will not also believe that it happened. That is how nature makes the mystery a little lighter to take. there is the doubt even for those who witness it personally.
the question that comes to the mind is whether it is just a dream or a hallucination.
I usually turn off mine. Or some sort of block it.
Mahirap makakita. Kahit minsan pikit na ang dalawang mata mo, feeling mo nakikita mo pa rin ang paligid mo.
Share ko lang din:
UPLB (UP Los Banos) used to be a japanese garrison dati. Yung Baker Hall nila dun, e uber hunted. Laging may naririnig na kalansing ng kadena na parang naglalakad and commands in Japanese.
Ginawa atang detention cell ang Baker Hall dati.
Si Glo, estowdeng ng UPLB ata yun. Malamang alam nya din ang kwento na yun.
ang pinakahaunted yata silver ay ang Film Center of the Phils.
Hindi ko alam kung ginagamit pa niya ang building na yon. Pero ang alam ko ang daming klaseng religion na ang nagbasbas doon para matahimik ang kaluluwa ng mga taong binaon ng buhay pa raw. walang nangyari. probably, may mga narelease na ng mga kaluluwa. siguro yong naghohaunt doon ay ayaw pa talagang umalis.
Minsan napunta ako doon, ang balahibo ko nakatayo.
i am normally not afraid of ghosts pero sa ganong klaseng lugar, hindi ako pupuntang mag-isa.
Hindi na ginagamet ang Film Center of the Phils. ms. Cat.
Abandoned na ang building na yun. At yes, uberly hunted daw.
Di ko pa napupuntahan yun eh.
Teka, how about Diplomat Hotel at Malinta Tunnel? Di ba hunted din yun?
Yung Fort Santiago, lalo na yung sa mga dungeons nya, shucks! nagfieldtrip kame dun ng 4th grade ako, sus ginuu, ang lameggggg!!!
Nakakaclaustrophobic na di mo maintindihan….
for now, to be safe, neither confirm nor deny, in Visayan pa,
“The Cat, kining tanan hunsoy lang sa hoyohoy…”
True or False
The masses will decide. In them… through them and with them…
or maybe the new generations are no longer buying what we are trying to sell them.
Who knows.
Tingnan nyu si Rowlings di may Harry Potter sya gamit ung almost same personas we were imagining since we were born.
Ah, si Casper ang cute na ghost.
I could not believe my ears na nag celebrate na rin daw ang kamag-anak sa barrio siete ng HALLOWEEN! with costume pa, like cinderella, superman, bat-man…hahaha!
When did this start?
Ang dami ngang kinde ano? isang sako! hahaha!
darbs,
we are not selling them anything. it is like let buyer beware. those who believe ,let them, those who are not, let them too.
but it is a fact that even universities are now offering paranormal subjects. Ateneo is one. In Calif. there is school for people with gifts like fortune telling or predictions. In England,the fabled Hogwart School is real.
here in the States, they use psychics to solve the crimes or find missing persons.
or ghosthunters in the phils are mostly psychics while here in the states, they use gadgets to record the presence of ghosts and the noise they make.
The Cat. of course. of course. i agree. no question about that. in my psycho class i did paranormal psychology.
naisip ko lang, ang tagal na niyan pero andun pa din sila. ibig sabihin earthbound entities sila? nakakatakot pa din yung story kahit sabihin din nating may puso e…
dencios,
some ghosts are many centuries old. probably they have unfinished business. as i have said,wala na silang sense of time so hindi na nila alam na wala na rin yong kanilang hinahanap p hinihintay.
i got a student na nainlab ang isang spiritu na panahon pa ni rizal. she was brought back to the past kung saan ang mga damit ay yong mga sinauna pa.
according to the young girl, siya raw ang hinihintay niyang kapalaran.
when she was with him, she slept for many days.
kaya nga palagi siyang absent sa klase.
i got a student na nainlab ang isang spiritu na panahon pa ni rizal
**mam verrrry interesting yan. ano na kaya ang nangyari sa kanila ngayon? hmm..
I do not go to haunted places not unless I have a shiled or protection. impure entities may just ride on you para lang makaalis sila sa limbo na kinakukulungan nila.
Kaya pala parang nakakasakal…
Paglabas nga namen ng dungeon that time, yung mga classmates ko, wala lang, nagtatawanan.
Ako e iba. Ang bigat ng pakiramdam ko. Buti di ako napagtripan ng mga kung ano man dun. Hihihi.
Nawala din ang weird feeling na yun pagkaalis namen ng fort santiago. I guess the entity e attached pa rin sa lugar na yun.
sa totoo lang mahirap yung may kasamang my third eye kasi pedeng masagap (para daw signal yun e) ko daw yung abilities nya na makakita o makaramdam ng ibat ibang klaseng enities.. totoo kaya yun mam caT?
minsan wala na yong spirits pero ang mga naiwang vibes ay nandoon pa. emotions na malalakas.
siguro kasi magnet nga yong may 3rd eye sa mga iba’t ibang klaseng entities. para bang nagsasabi ng hello o kaya nang goodbye kahit saan ka magpunta.
“pinagamot” din siya.
naku pag pala mga kwentong engkanto at multo si mam cat ang expert hahaha mam miss na namin yung part2 nung engkanto hahaha
lee,
nakalinya na. mahaba ang linya eh.