CEBU CITY – Rumor of a “manananggal’’ terrified residents of a barangay in Talisay City, southern Cebu on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
The story spread like wildfire, promoting the police to look into the matter and allay fears but found no evidence that the creature existed in Sitio Mangga, Barangay Dumlog.
According to the rumor, Lt. Col. Randy Caballes, Talisay police chief, said that the creature was spotted lurking on the roof of a house and two children have claimed to have seen the being.
“As these claims have caused havoc around the neighborhood, raising concerns and panic, the Talisay police deployed investigators in the area to verify,” said Caballes.
Caballes said investigators found no evidence that would prove the existence of the creature.
He added that even the owner of the house where the creature was allegedly spotted denied seeing what the supposed witnesses saw. The house owner did not even hear or notice strange noises at the time the creature was claimed to have been seen.
Caballes asked residents to avoid spreading unverified stories to prevent chaos. “We humbly ask the cooperation of our residents to remain calm. We also ask the public to refrain from spreading unverified reports as this could cause more alarm than peace,” said Caballes.
A manananggal is a mythical creature that is said to separate from the lower part of its body and has fangs and wings, giving it a vampire-like appearance.