METRO MANILA | The Demon of Malabon Cemetery

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Malabon Cemetery Demon

The cemetery a few hundred steps away from the place where I grew up has a secret.

We used to jump along its tombs during hot summer days when there was nothing else to do and my friends used to fly kites from the highest mausoleums on October months where the wind is at its strongest. My grandfather, who now rest inside its hallowed grounds, used to take walks here every morning where I occasionally accompany him.

Malabon Cemetery Tugatog
A MASSIVE MAUSOLEUM AT MALABON PUBLIC CEMETERY

The Malabon City public cemetery—not to be confused with the Malabon Catholic Cemetery right San Bartolome Church—has been our playground of sorts during my growing up years. But it holds a terrible secret. An inverted icon of the Catholic faith that sends chills through my young mind—an almost life-size sculpture of a feral devil standing over Archangel Michael with a pitchfork aimed at his face.

Malabon Cemetery Adam Eve
ADAM AND EVE BAS RELIEF

A marker on the left reveals an exchange between Lucifer and St. Michael; the devil proclaiming that he owns the world and St. Michael pleading to the people. On the right is a crumbling bas relief of Adam and Eve, probably a symbol of the first sin of Man.

Malabon Cemetery Demon
SATAN STANDING OVER ST. MICHAEL

Stories about the perverse statue abound. Some say that the figures used to be small and supernaturally grew each year to its current height. A few whisper about the devil roaming around the graveyard at night. And more stories pervade about the tomb below the sculpture, which up to this day remains blank and probably empty.

Malabon Cemetery Demon St. Michael
ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IS PINNED ON THE GROUND

But everything about the controversial icon have all been hearsays, stories that has been passed from one generation to the next, for the sculpture is very old. Older that a sixty-year old lady I talked to who says it’s been there since she was a kid.

The shroud of mystery, however, soon lifted as Noli de Castro of the infamous show, Magandang Gabi Bayan, visited our town one October morning some years past to feature the Demon of Malabon on its always anticipated Halloween cum All Saints Day shockfest.

Malabon Cemetery Demon St. Michael
SIMEON M. BERNADO’S STRANGE TOMB

It was revealed that Simeon Bernardo, the person buried on the lower tomb, specifically asked his children to build the sculpture over his grave to remind society that darkness has taken over the world—the devil has won and there is no God.

Simeon, who died in 1934, suffered a bitter fate during the Spanish Regime in the Philippines. Accused as a filibuster, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago and was mercilessly tortured by the government. The ordeal made him believe that God does not exist and indoctrinated the belief to his children.

Malabon Cemetery Demon St. Michael
DUSK AT TUGATOG, MALABON CEMETERY

Now encased in iron bars to protect from stones thrown by people, the bizarre image of the devil beating down upon an archangel is an unsettling reminder of how society was back then. And according to the Bernardo clan, they will reverse the statue and put St. Michael on top once they see that the world that their great grandfather witnessed has already changed from the one he saw decades back.

 

 

Malabon Municipal Cemetery
Address: Simeon Bernardo Tomb, Brgy. Tugatog,
     Malabon City, Metro Manila
Opening Hours: Daylight Hours
Entrance Fee: None

GPS Coordinates Map: 14.660677, 120.968829

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19 comments

  1. still scary. i don't think i could play in this area if I was kid living nearby.

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  2. madalas ako dumaan sa harap nito pag pumupunta kme sa bahay ni misis sa Malabon pero di ko pa ito napasok, interesting pala mga feature & story, ayos to! salamat sa share, you're cooooool!

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  3. yeah, i know. i think that is true in america, as well. everything is going downhill, and the corrupt zionist govt is trying to control everyone, with the help of the Illuminati. so, we all need to spread the Holy Spirit throughout the internet to prove to everyone that God is much stronger than zionism and Illuminati powers.

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  4. that guy had it 50% right. from what i know, tama naman Satan has been given the world to rule until the 2nd coming of christ but that's just my christian side expressing my beliefs. a bible character went through the same fate as that guy, too, pero job found redemption towards the end. unfortunately that guy did not. sad. love the close up of the angel statue.

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  5. Anny
    Happy Halloween hehe

    Phioxee
    Haha it's really not as scary if you grew up in the area

    Tatatyjoni
    Sayang sana chineck-out mo sir :D

    Fifileigh
    :P

    Turista Trails
    Yeah si Job nga tama :)

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  6. Simeon Bernado died in 1934 this was not "centuries ago" as is stated in the last paragraph. Also, being over 60 years old doesn't make something "ancient." Who wrote this?

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  7. thanks for this! please allow me to borrow your photo giving credits to your blog of course :D

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  8. WOW! Thanks for sharing this! familiar ako dito sa mga rebulto na to naalala ko nung nasa elementary ako sa MCDC(Maranatha Children's Devt Center) dito ako sa sementeryo dito sa bisig ng nayon dumadaan kapag galing ng eskwela...ngayon ko lang nalaman ang istorya nito bukod sa wala ako mapagtatanungan noon..very interesting!

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  9. Hi,just want to know if you're living near bisig ng nayon area.and do u know someone named Rodel Baruela? His the son of Naty Baruela.please text me,+639052317100.thank u n God bless 😊

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    Replies
    1. Hi Esperanza, sorry I don't know anyone with that name

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  10. I lived that area before. Katabi ng tinitirhan ko mga nitso.it was scary at first, pro nasanay din ako.i'm not aware na my magandang kwento pala dun.

    Hope u can help me,locate this person.nasa loob or gilid ng sementeryo house nila.thank u once again.

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    Replies
    1. Indeed, our house is also just a hop away from the cemetery. But you get used to it :)

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  11. woooo paano ako makakatulog nya galing pero ang saya basahin

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  12. May 13, 2019/ Election. This will remind us of people in the government who will be elected to lead our nation from darkness to true enlightenment. God bless us all! -just voted

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  13. Tama si Simeon Bernardo (RIP) Ang Relihiyon dinala ng mga hipokritong kastila sa bansa natin ang siya pa din naghahasik ng kasamaan sa mundo... Sa Diyos tayo maniwala at hinde sa mga relihiyong sumasamba sa mga bato o rebulto..

    ReplyDelete