



Maria Labo was the name used to refer to the female vampire who came from Iloilo or Capiz (others suggest from Sorsogon). She was popularized by the story that she murdered her two sons and then cooked them. She was recognizable by her huge scar across her face, thus she got her name. Aside of the provinces in Panay Island, her story is also famous in other neighboring provinces like Cebu. She even reached the city of Davao.



Labo was also the name used to refer to a female vampire who came from the Philippines, Specifically in Iloilo or Capiz. Maria Labo got famous for a story that depicted her as the murderer of her two sons and then cooked them for dinner who even offered her husband to eat their sons. Her distinct facial characteristics is her huge scar across her face. Her story spread like wildfire all over the country even overseas. Maria Labo's tale got popular in various forms of media. She was included to Horror Books, Featured to Local Magazines, Email/Text Messages warning everyone about her curse. Maria Labo's tale is very creepy and leaves anyone who have heard her story sort of disturbed. What makes her more distinct to other legends was her curse. Her curse was similar to Bloody Mary, Whenever someone mentions or even remembers her name by 3:00 AM/PM will get a visit from her and it will be the last breath of anyone who wished to see her. There's still no proof that her curse is indeed true but the thought of it really gives anyone a creepy feeling and totally tries to forget about her.



What Is An ASWANG?



An Aswang (or Asuwang) is a vampire-like witch ghoul in Filipino folklore and is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories. Spanish colonists noted that the Aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century. The myth of the aswang is well known throughout the Philippines, except in the Ilocos region, which is the only region that does not have an equivalent myth. It is especially popular in the Western Visayan regions, Other regional names for the aswang include "tik-tik", "wak-wak" and "sok-sok" - Wikipedia



The Three Faces of Maria Labo

By: Abelardo Gajarion

[translated] 1. As militarization became widespread in the barrios, it caused disarray to the province of Sorsogon. Farmers and fishers have no abundant harvests; many small businesses closed; children can't go to their schools; and people can't almost go out of their houses. All of them were waiting a bomb to fall on their place, so they'll die together, except Maria Labo.



Maria and Ermin Labo resided in a small hut made of cogon and bamboo which was located near the foot of the mountain far from the village. They had two children, namely Pablo and Rosalinda. Ermin is a farmer, while Maria was a vendor of their harvests in the village.



When they got no abundant harvest in their vegetable farm, Maria decided to go to her friend who was searching for domestic helpers who wanted to go to Spain. She thought she may earn more money by working overseas than selling vegetable which she can't even do because of the war in their province.



They mortgaged their farmland, as well as the place where their house stood, to obtain money as payment for her placement fee. Three months later, she was sent to Spain.



2. Maria was brought in an old mansion in a village far from the city. She went down from a bus and stood in the front of a big and old iron gate. It was twined by crawling plants. According to the agency who sent her, only an old man and his trustee were living in the mansion where she's going to work.



She entered the gate which is partly open. Far from where she stood, she can see the whole gray mansion. She needed to walk almost two kilometers before arriving the mansion. The road was dusty, aligned with large trees in both sides.



Upon arriving in the front of the mansion, Maria was surprised seeing a large door, almost three times of her height, made of wood decorated with sculpted grapes and flowers. The whole mansion is made of cement. She noticed the grasses on its garden have grown as tall as her knee. The right side of the mansion was almost covered by creeping plants.



She knocked the door using the round metal hanging on the lion head doorknocker. She gazed on all directions, thinking she will find someone, however no one welcomed her. After five minutes of waiting, the door just opened voluntarily. It opened very slowly and it made an unpleasant sound as if it was closed for so long and it was opened for the first time. Upon entering the door, she saw no one.



She didn't see the old man who devotedly watch her from the time she entered the gate and while she's walking towards the mansion.



Hola, como estas? (Hello, how are you?) Greeted by the man who appeared from the left corner of the mansion.



Maria was startled. She, unexpectedly, didn't thought a man wearing a beautiful attire will just appear from no where.



Soy Eduardo. Que te llamas? (I'm Eduardo. What's your name?)



Maria didn't know what to answer.



Comprendes Espanol? (Can you understand Spanish?)











She just shook her head. Whether she knows Spanish or none at all, surely she knew a little. The guy stared at her first before speaking in English.



Follow. Follow.



Eduardo was the trustee of the mansion. He worked there for many years. He was planning to quit now, but he can't do it till he finds the right woman to take care of his master.



They took half a day to finish walking around the mansion. They inspect and visited every room while Eduardo explained to Maria her job. He stammeringly used English, even Maria can't understand much.







Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?) E, are you, e starved?



Maria didn't know what to answer so she just nod. Eduardo noticed that Maria don't understand him. So he concluded that he found the girl he was searching for.



Senor Gustavo wants to . . . e, hablar . . . e, speak to you . . .





It was three months since Maria started to work there, but still they have difficulty in understanding and talking with each other. So its more easy for them to use sign language instead.



Within that three months, she had had a chance to go inside Mister Gustavo's room only two times. Eduardo said, in stammering and patching story, Mister Gustavo was sick for so many years ago, until now. It was very intricate, that's why no one must see him.



The first time Maria had a chance to go inside Gustavo's room, they even got no chance of seeing each other. Eduardo just introduce her, however they're only standing in the door. The area where Gustavo was resting was very dark which made it difficult for her to clearly see the face of the old man.



In the second time, Maria got a chance to go nearer to Mr. Gustavo. She just get the urinal beside her master. His skin was wrinkled. His hair was so thin. His eyes are almost white. Before she departed, Gustavo asked her. His voice was so low which Maria can't almost hear.



Are you Filipina?



Maria nodded, she understood the small question of her master.



A, opo, si, si, Senor Gustavo. I am Filipina.



Maria wondered why she was called by Gustavo even though Eduardo was there to give his orders of whatever he needs. She thought some possible reasons. She left her work in the kitchen just to go to his room. Before going out of the kitchen, Eduardo gave her some warnings.



Maria, nunca (never), e, do not go out of the room if Senor Gustavo, e, is not asleep yet.



She knocked slowly at the door of Mr. Gustavo's room. She went near to the old man. He signaled her to go nearer. It seemed her master was whispering something. Slowly, she brought her face nearer to Mr. Gustavo's.



Maria was very nervous. She didn't even predict that it'll be her last. Because when she go out, she'll be different from normal.













3. There have been many changes in Maria's family since she came back from Spain. It was two months after she went back to Sorsogon, her province.



All the people are very jealous of her when she arrived home. She had spent four months in the Spain, but she had brought many pasalubong (take homes) for that short time. She brought up expensive plates, utensils, and candelabra. The mortgage of their land was paid and they had built a new house.



However, they (their neighbors) wondered why they haven't seen Maria went out of their house. They often wait her go out to walk around the town but they have no chance of seeing her.



Likewise, Ermin and his children didn't go outdoors too. They are wondering very much of Maria's coldness to them. She's not talking, but she still remain caring and giving. At night, on the bed, Ermin hear her repressed cry. Whenever he attempts to touch her for comfort, he always feel, as if, burned of coldness of her body. She seemed like an ice. Ermin blanketed and hugged her, but he felt somewhat like he was just hugging on a wind.









One night, Ermin jump up while hearing Maria squealling at the window. When he woke up to see his wife, he was frightened seeing her soaked in blood. Her neck was slashed and blood spits on it. He went back from lying on the bed not noticeably awake, although he was very scared. He saw Maria passed through the wall. He was terrorized. He pretended sleeping when she went near him. He knew that she went close to him and stared at his face. He smelled the bad odor of the blood and the rotten flesh. He prayed that all were just a dream. And if he's in a nightmare, he prayed he'll wake up, and wished everything are back to normal.





When he woke up the next day, Maria was not on her side. He looked for her any where in the house, but he found her nowhere. He also asked his children if they saw her, but like him, they didn't, starting last night.



The children told Ermin that they dreamt of their mother crying in their room. Her body was full of blood. Her neck was slashed and the blood oozes out from it. She went near them and kissed each of them, then when they woke up, they saw nothing or even saw any evidence that their mother went there.



Ermin felt horrified. All of them saw Maria last night in the same situation. Still, he was wondering where his wife might be. Time passed by, he felt more and more nervous for things he might discover.





Seven o'clock in the evening, still, Maria was not home, when suddenly, they heard someone knocks at the door. Hastely, Ermin got up to open it. He hoped it was Maria. But, when he opened, there was two foreigner standing.



The two men came from the Spanish Embassy. They informed him that they saw the dead body of Maria Labo rotten under her master's bed in the Spain. Mr. Gustavo was an excellent doctor who became mad because his Filipina wife derparted him.



Now, Mr. Gustavo was brought to mental hospital while his trustee, Eduardo, was prisoned from hiding the crime done by his master.



Ermin was speechless. He look at the whole house. He can't imagine that Maria was dead for almost two months, inspite all the moneys and things she brought home. He didn't believe them. So he angrily told them to go away.





He waited for Maria. He just think that she was on a vacation and she'll be home soon. He waited her wife for a long time. After some weeks Maria came, now . . . a rotten corpse.















Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus



Submit News/Videos/Links | Discuss article | Article Link More Unsolved and Unexplained Mysteries



