It happened 36 years ago but the demise of actress Julie Pearl Apostol Postigo, popularly known as Julie Vega, remains one of the most-talked about mysterious deaths that shook the Philippine movie industry.
Born on May 21, 1968, Julie was at the peak of her career when she passed away on May 6, 1985.
Some say that strange things happened to Julie after her shoot for the movie version of the popular television series “Lovingly Yours Helen” where she appeared in the horror episode entitled “Ako ang Walang Diyos."
The episode was shot in Mount Manalmon in San Miguel, Bulacan in 1985. A production staff for the movie believe that crew members might have disturbed unseen forces in the area that led to occurrence of strange events. At first, Julie was energetic and jolly until the latter part of the shoot when the teen star experienced a slight fever. One thing led to another.
Other "ghost stories" unfurled. The people on the set also claimed that they saw a child with beard on several occasions in the temporary comfort room that they used during the shoot. Believing that they brought inconvenience to the place, crew members offered chicken to pacify the disturbed spirits.
The “albularyos” or faith healers in the area said that the “engkantos” or the enchanted ones have abducted Julie's soul.
On the other hand, doctors diagnosed Julie with demyelinating disease. It is a condition that results in damage to the protective covering (myelin sheath) that surrounds nerve fibers in your brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord that can cause neurological problems.
Julie was hospitalized. With the rising bills, her parents moved her to a less expensive hospital. Doctors said the actress suffered from bronco pneumonia that made her condition worse. She was taken to the Lung Center of the Philippines, where she died of cardiac arrest on May 6, 1985.
The events surrounding Julie's death came as a shock to her fans. But one thing is sure: Julie made a big impact in the Philippine movie industry. She entertained, inspired or simply kept us watching. (Dane Maverick G. Padel/ City of Malabon University)