Aswang Behind the Rumors

The encounter

This story was narrated with my mother when I was a kid, along with my brother and sisters. She told us when she was in our age her youngest sister was suddenly got sicked and irritated specially at dusk It happened in Leon, Iloilo way back 55 years ago. Far from the hospital and can't afford for the expenses they consult to the "witch-doctor" and the finding reveals that their daughter was being haunted by the Aswang at dusk.

At home his father and his eldest brother had a plan to catch this monster in any cost as the witch-doctor advised...They took a glass or two of coconut wine (Tuba) for a courage enhancer. Now my brother undress and wearing only his underwear and took a knife made of copper then wait underneath the house (silong ng bahay) hoping to met this creature . It's been a couple of hours but no sign of Aswang...

"bwisit ang daming lamok at nilalamig na ako dito...ang tagal nman nyang dumating" as he complained!

My father prepared an " insinso (or kamangyan in Ilonggo) to burn it using a charcoal to produced a smoke as a protection against any enchanted beings and while my brother patiently waited in the dark. A moment later my baby sister started to cry, fever on and off and weary while my brother felt nervous as the night getting more dark, unwary someone is coming as he surprised there's a naked man approached him, crawling closed to him saying:

" ako ang nauna dyan pre! " claiming his ownership to be the first one who haunting this victim.
nodding his head, my brother replied as he acknowledge the Aswang...

Numb and scared to death, he can't barely moved, chilled with nervous and terrified while watching the Aswang squatting in front of him sniffing ang peeking every gap on the floor as her sister crying helplessly while her mother trying to comfort her by cuddling and rocking in her arms. As the Aswang move around and turn his back to him my brother, he took the chance to stabbed him with his copper knife.

This stink, fishy and oily naked monster run for his life, he's badly wounded he'd knew copper would severely and painfully hurt him and it takes more time to heal the wound. Unnoticed my brother bravely followed him across the ricefield till the Aswang reach his house.

My brother rushing back to the house and told every details to our father.
Let's pretend nothing happened so everybody wont noticed and I have to settle this tomorrow, as father instructed us, as they closed and secured the door and windows.

As the dawn breaks in, my father headed straight to house of the Aswang, he knew the guy, an old friend, one of the distance neighborhood and native residence. As he approached their house he saw his wife outside brooming the dry leaves, they greeted each other and having a short conversation till my father ask his wife:
Where's my dear pal its already late in the morning its time to get up!
Upstair...unwell seems like a morning sickness, she explained.
Really, mind if I get in...
Sure...why not, she agreed.

A moment later after my father spoke to his old friend, while he descending down to the stairs up to 2nd last step then he puts his both hand saying a ritual then straight back home without any word to the people he'd met on the road. Then the next day the Aswang ( old friend ) died. According to the elders Aswang have the power of immortality they can lick their wound to heal fast and they will not die unless someone claim as heir of being ( Aswang ) a successor.
But with this ritual act we can eliminate them as soon we wounded them before they recovered.

This tale to be tell to our children up to the next generation...