Ghost in the Walls: A spooky walk through Intramuros

The Intramuros Ghost Walk is also an opportunity to learn more about the history of the historic city. Photos: Paul John Caña

Don’t go looking for trouble, the old saying goes, as trouble will usually find you.

The same can probably be said about ghosts.

But paranormal investigator Jade Martin and her colleagues from the Center for Paranormal studies have tapped into peoples’ fears and fascination with the supernatural to develop a walking tour centered around exactly that.

The Intramuros Ghost Walk may have the possibility of ghost sightings in the oldest part of Manila as a come-on, but Martin insists the main idea is for participants to learn and develop an appreciation for history.

And there’s probably no better place where the historical and the supernatural intersect than Intramuros.

Martin was our guide on a version of the Ghost Walk organized by Ford Philippines. Participants drove the Ford Ecosport, the brand’s compact SUV, inside Intramuros just after sundown a few days ago. The idea was to demonstrate the Ecosport’s efficiency and maneuverability in the tight spaces and corners of the Walled City.

But Martin instructed everyone to get off the vehicles and gather around a spot just in front of Baluarte De Dilao, the evening’s first stop.

I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to supposed paranormal occurrences, so I appreciated it when Martin, who exuded a pleasant demeanor quite unexpected for a supposed “ghost hunter,” expressed a similar position.

“Many instances of so-called supernatural happenings are more logical than paranormal,” she said.

 While the beam of our flashlights danced around the blackness on the other side of iron gates in Baluarte De Dilao, Martin related how Japanese soldiers reportedly massacred everyone in sight—men, women and children—in the dying days of World War 2.

She also explained the difference between two different kinds of ghost hauntings.

“Intellectual haunting doesn’t mean that the ghost is smart,” she said to snickers from the participants. “It just means the ghost may react or communicate with living people.”

The second type is residual haunting, which is basically an imprint from a past, usually tragic event. This is fairly common, and what she believes is what most people experience.

As we walked to the next stop, passing by Mapua Institute of Technology and Lyceum of the Philippines, Martin also explained the phenomenon of the White Lady.

“The White Lady usually appears in an area where tragedies always happen. A Black Lady meanwhile, is a representation of that person’s sorrow.”

When the group reached Puerta De Sta. Isabel, Martin explained how many of the retail and commercial spaces along the wall have now been abandoned, supposedly because of numerous reports of hauntings. We all peered into the darkness and tried to snap photos with our phones, some of us hoping something, or someone, would turn up.

“Try to take three or four photos of the same spot,” Martin suggested. That increases the possibility of capturing an entity in at least one shot. She had earlier showed us a few photos from her own camera phone of supposed spirits. Some were sent to her by people from all over the country.

With the exception of the San Agustin church, none of the buildings in Intramuros survived the heavy bombings that took place during World War 2. Still, many structures that have since been built have become inhabited by ghosts and spirits. Foremost among them is the Aduana building, which housed several government offices. As we gazed at it from the street, Martin said this is the most haunted building in Intramuros.

“Many people believe it takes lives,” she said.

Further down we came to Plaza Mexico, where a monument unveiled in 1964 commemorates 400 years of Filipino-Mexican relations, as well as a huge statue of Adolfo Lopez Mateos, a former President of Mexico who came to visit in 1962.

Here, Martin said there have been sightings of reapers, or hooded figures who chase after wandering spirits. “Don’t worry, they don’t go after the living,” she said. There are also doppelgangers, or creatures who can mimic people or objects, in the area. “Friends have texted me telling me they saw me here when I wasn’t anywhere near here,” Martin relates. “Doppelgangers usually copy people they see all the time.”

After a short ride inside the Ford Ecosport, we came to Arzobispo Street and what looked like an ordinary-looking tree. Martin said it has earned the gruesome nickname the Suicide Tree after a student, supposedly from Mapua, killed herself by hanging there.

“If you ever feel depressed, don’t bottle it in. Seek help,” Martin cautioned.

Nearby, Fort Santiago was enveloped in darkness. The Japanese used it as a prison and torture chamber during the War, which is why it is now also extremely haunted, imprinted with the agony and sufferings of its many prisoners.

Another short drive and we came to Manila Cathedral, where headless priests supposedly make regular appearances. Martin also rather cheekily referred to it as the “walang forever” Cathedral, due to the many rather unfortunate cases of couples who got married there eventually breaking up and separating.

The final stop of our jaunt through Intramuros after dark was a brightly lit garden beside Baluarte De San Diego. Also known as the break-up park for being the site where many a relationship met their demise, it is here where a crying White Lady often makes appearances. Fun fact though: Martin said that Baluarte De San Diego is where basketball was first introduced to the Philippines by the Americans.

While I can’t say that I saw a single white specter or malevolent spirit, I would recommend the tour for the unique experience of seeing Intramuros and learning just a little bit about the history hidden within its walls.

Even Martin couldn’t help but shed a few tears as, right before bidding us farewell, she talked about how much she loves Intramuros and hopes that more people take the time to appreciate what it means to us as Filipinos, as doing so will help us understand more about ourselves. — BM, GMA News

For more information about the Intramuros Ghost Walk, visit their Facebook page.

Paul John Caña is a magazine writer and live music geek. Check out his blog manontheotherside.blogspot.com. Email him at pjcana@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram @pauljohncana.