TALES OF TERROR

Don Simeon Bernardo's Tomb (Philippines)

  In one of the cemeteries in Malabon, Philippines, a statue atop a tomb has been the center of national attention for decades, and is the source of a creepy urban legend that has terrified adults and youngsters alike. Don Simeon, who died in 1934, personally had the statue made by an artisan before his death, and had instructed his children to put it on his tomb. The statue depicts Satan triumphant over St. Michael the Archangel. What makes the whole thing even creepier is the stone tablet right beside the statue, which contains a dialogue between Satan and St. Michael, where Satan proclaims dominion over the world and mankind.

For such a deeply Christian country, the very thought of Satan triumphant and that someone even had the gall to make a statue of it, was just too much. Thus it spawned many stories that were passed around over the years.

The elderly folks living near the cemetery swear that the statue placed by Don Simeon was just a small thing to begin with, but it kept growing each year. Also, at night, the statue of the devil is said to come alive and haunt anyone who loiters around the cemetery. This is said to be the reason why the statue was subsequently encased in an iron cage – to protect the people from its devilish antics.

A documentary done by a national TV station about the statue and its owner had shed some light on the legend. As it turns out, the statue appeared to grow because the original statue was destroyed by vandals, and was replaced by a bigger one. Despite the efforts of the Bernardo family to dispel the rumors, many folks still believe the legend. After all, a good story is always worth believing over some dreary truth.