THE MARIALUISA STORY Part II

By RICHARD J O'HANLON JR.

IN THE LAST SEGMENT WHICH I SENT TO YOU YESTERDAY, I GAVE A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE LAST DAY OF LUISA'S LIFE FROM LATE ON THE NIGHT OF THURSDAY OCTOBER 30TH THROUGH THAT FATEFUL FOLLOWING DAY WHEN HER MOTHER & AUNT SHOWED HER A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE BETWEEN HER FIANCE AND ANOTHER WOMAN ALONG WITH A PAPER CLIP OUT OF A MAN & WOMAN IN A PRIVATE WEDDING NIGHT SCENE. THESE ITEMS ALONG WITH A DIVORCE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN MARIAMELDA (LUISA'S MOTHER OR MY EX-WIFE) WERE SUDDENLY PRESENTED TO LUISA AS SHE WAS GETTING READY TO GET OFF WORK ON THAT FATEFUL FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO MEET ME AT THE VICTORY LINER BUS TERMINAL ON MALOLOS STREET.THIS INCIDENT WHICH HER(LUISA'S MOTHER & AUNT HAD DONE, TOTALLY DESTROYED THE LIFE OF MY FILIPINO DAUGHTER AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF HER GHASTLY & MACABE DESTINY.)WHAT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU NOW IS WHAT OCCURED DURING THE FOLLOWING DAYS AFTER LUISA'S SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE ON THAT TIKI STATUE AND THE ACTUAL DETAILED ACCOUNT OF TWO SMALL BOYS ALONG WITH CHRIS DELEON AS TO WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED DURING THE FOLLOWING YEAR 1999. HERE IS THE "REST OF THE STORY" IN DETAIL: CHRIS & I RAN AS FAST AS WE COULD UP THAT ROCKY PATHWAY LEADING OUT OF SACRIFICE VALLEY. FRIGHTENED BEYOND WORDS, WE RAN OCCASIONALLY SLIPPING OVER THE NOW WET ROCKS. SOAKED TO THE SKIN, WE KEPT CLIMBING & RUNNING AS FAST AS WE COULD UNTIL WE GOT BACK UP TO THE OPEN AREA WHERE MANOY & ROGELIO WERE WAITING FOR US. THE RAIN WAS STILL FALLING HEAVILY AND LIGHTNING CRACKLED AROUND US WHEN WE GOT BACK UP TO WHERE THEY WERE WAITING. FOR A MOMENT, WE WERE JUST TOO SHOCKED AS WELL AS OUT OF BREATH TO SPEAK BUT AFTER WE ALL WALKED OVER TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SMALL PICNIC AREA WITH A COUPLE OF THATCHED ROOF HUTS, WE SAT DOWN ON ONE OF THE BENCHES AND GAVE THE HORRIFYING ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAD OCCURED DOWN THERE. BOTH ROGELIO & MANOY BECAME FRIGHTENED BUT WE ALL WERE JUST TOO TIRED TO TRY TO GET BACK HOME TO MANILA THAT NIGHT. THE TIME WAS NOW 4 AM SATURDAY OCTOBER 31. AS EXHAUSTED AS WE AL WERE, WE COULD N! OT RELAX ENOUGH TO SLEEP SO WE ALL TRIED TO LIE DOWN ON THE FEW BENCHES IN THE HUT AND TALK. ROGELIO THEN SAID, " CHRIS, WE'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW "COVER THIS UP" FOR AWHILE UNTIL WE REPORT THIS INCIDENT AS A "MISSING PERSON CASE." WE DARE NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THE LOTA FAMILY EXCEPT THAT LUISA HAD TO LEAVE ON A MODELING ASSIGNMENT FOR A FEW DAYS AND SHE WILL BE BACK IN A FEW DAYS.THIS WILL GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO CAREFULL SORT THIS OUT AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO PREPARE JUST EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SAY TO THE POLICE AND INVESTIGATION ABOUT LUISA'S DISAPPEARANCE. THEN ROGELIO TURNED TO ME AND SAID, " RICHARD, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY NOW ESPECIALLY TO THE LOTA FAMILY IF & WHEN THEY ASK YOU ABOUT LUISA. THE BEST THING TO DO NOW IS TRY TO AVOID THEM UNTIL YOU LEAVE TO GO BACK TO AMERICA. IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GET SUSPICIOUS OF YOU WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT YOU AND MY SISTER ARE DIVORCED." I WAS BEGINNING TO GET SCARED NOW NOT JUST FROM WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER BUT NOW I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE REPERCUTIONS OF BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME WHEN A NOTED FILIPINO COVER MODEL MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHED! I COULD BE EVEN ARRESTED HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR BEING A MURDER SUSPECT! WE ALL SAT THERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE OUR NEXT MOVE....FOR NOW WE ALL DECIDED THAT WE'D BETTER TRY TO GET BACK TO MANILA AS OUR WIVES WOULD BE WONDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO US ALL NIGHT. THE STORM HAD ENDED AND MOVED OFF TO THE WEST*( IN THE TROPICS, THE LINES OF SHOWERS & STORMS TRAVEL FROM EAST TO WEST..OPPOSITE OF THE MID- LATITUDES.)BY 5:45 AM, THE TROPICAL SUN WAS BEGINNING TO RISE ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS IN THE EAST. WE ALL MANAGED TO WALK BACK DOWN THAT ROAD LEADING BACK DOWN THE HILL UNTIL WE CAME UPON A TRUCK DRIVER WHO DROVE US TO THE NEAREST BUS STATION WHERE WE ALL MANAGED TO CATCH A BUS BACK TO MANILA. AT JUST BEFORE 7 AM, WE ALL ARRIVED BACK AT ENCAR MATUBA'S HOME IN PACO. AS EXPECTED, OUR WIVES WERE CURIOUS AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPE! NED TO US ALL NIGHT. WE MADE UP AN EXCUSE THAT WE ALL GOT INVOLVED IN BETTING AND BY THE TIME THE PLACE CLOSED, WE COULD NOT GET BACK AND GOT CAUGHT IN THE HEAVY RAIN.. AFTER A BREAKFAST OF FRESH RICE & EGGS, ALL FOUR OF US WENT UPSTAIRS, TOOK A SHOWER, CHANGED CLOTHES AND TRIED TO GET SOME SLEEP BUT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT'S HORROR WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY OF US TO DO SO. BY NOON SATURDAY, THE HEAT & HUMIDITY WAS GETTING PRETTY OPPRESSIVE AND SO WE JUST LAY THERE AND TRIED TO RELAX. BY LATE THAT AFTERNOON, MARIAMELDA, LORNA, AND ENCAR PREPARED A FULL FILIPINO DINER FOR US ALTHOUGH THE FOOD TASTED GOOD, NONE OF US HAD THAT MUCH OF AN APPETITE AS WE WERE ALL TO SCARED TO EAT. THE REST OF THE DAY SATURDAY WAS FILLED WITH NERVOUS TENSION AS WE WERE COUNTING THE HOURS & MINUTES UNTIL IT WAS EVENING AGAIN. BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT, I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET SOME SLEEP ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL IN FRIGHT.SUNDAY MORNING DAWNED EARLY, BY 6 AM, I HEARD AUNT ENCAR MATUBA GETTING UP AND GETTING DRESSED FOR CHURCH. I THEN FELT AS IF I SHOULD TRY TO FORGET THE RECENT HORROR AND ATTEND MASS WITH HER AS THIS MIGHT BE A RELIEF FROM THE STRESS. ENCAR WAS VERY HAPPY THAT I OFFERED TO GO TO CHURCH WITH HER. THE MASS WAS BEAUTIFUL WITH HYMNS OF PRAISE FOR THE LORD BUT THEN AGAIN, I COULD FEEL THE PRESENCE OF LUISA'S SPIRIT IN THAT CHURCH AS IF SHE WAS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO ME. AUNTIE ENCAR WAS SOMEWHAT OF A COMFORT TO ME AS SHE ASKED ME ABOUT MY LIFE BACK IN AMERICA, MY OCCUPATION, ETC. BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK HOME, MARIA HAD PREPARED ANOTHER DELICIOUS BREAKFAST OF EGGS, FISH, AND RICE FOR US.. I DID HOWEVER MANAGED TO EAT DESPITE MY STILL REDUCED APPETITE. BY NOON, SUNDAY (NOVEMBER 1ST) LORNA ARRIVED BACK AT ENCAR'S HOME. SHE HAD A TELEGRAM FROM JUVY. AFTER LORNA READ IT, SHE HANDED IT OVER TO HER HUSBAND WHO ALSO READ IT. ROGELIO THEN CALLED ME OVER TO HIS SIDE & TALKED TO ME IN PRIVATE, "RICHARD, DON'T LET MARIA OR CHRIS READ THIS....READ WHAT JUVY SAID.. IT WENT LIKE THIS " DEAR PAPA RICK...LAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I RECIEVED A TELEGRAM FROM! MY SISTER. SHE SAID THAT YOU AND HER WERE GOING TO BE COMING OUT TO ANGELES CITY TO STAY WITH LITO & I FOR THE WEEKEND AND YOU TWO WOULD BE ARRIVING BY EIGHT O'CLOCK THAT EVENING. LITO & I WERE AT THE BUS STATION BY 7:30 PM AND WAITED BUT YOU TWO WERE NOT THERE. WE WAITED AROUND UNTIL ALMOST MIDNIGHT BUT YOU TWO STILL DID NOT COME. LITO & I WERE WONDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO YOU & MY SISTER. IS EVERYTHING OK? SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOT RECIEVED ANY MESSAGES OR HEARD ANYTHING FROM LUISA. RICK. WHEN YOU FIND OUT ABOUT HER, LET ME KNOW OK. SALAMAT PO RICK, PS : LITO & I ALONG WITH JOHNMARK & CECIL ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO PACO SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SEE YOU THEN. LOVE JUVY. WHEN JUVY LOTA FEDERESSO HER HUSBAND & FAMILY ARRIVED AT ENCAR'S HOME BY EARLY AFTERNOON, EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING ALONG HAPPILY. THE CHILDREN WERE PLAYING, JUVY ALONG WITH HER MOTHER AND ENCAR SAT IN THE KITCHEN AND TALKED AWAY IN THEIR NATIVE TAGALOG & BICOLESE WHILE WE MEN ALL SAT IN THE LIVING ROOM AND SHOT THE BULL WHILE WATCHING T! V. UP TIL NOW OUR "COVER UP" OF THE EVENTS OF THAT PREVIOUS FRIDAY NIGHT WAS WORKING BUT IT WAS ABOUT TO FACE ITS FIRST MAJOR TEST. CHRIS DELEON HAD LEFT EARLY THAT MORNING TO GO BACK HOME TO HIS PARENTS HOME( A LARGE SPANISH-STYLE MANSION LOCATED NEAR CAVITE CITY WHILE MANOY HAD TAKEN OFF TO THE MANILA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, AS WEL AS THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES EVERY WHERE THROUGHT METRO MANILA TO DO AN INTENSIVE RESEARCH ON WHAT WAS THE HISTORY OF THE AREA NOW KNOWN AS SACRIFICE VALLEY.)BY 3 PM ROGELIO, LITO, AND I WERE SITTING IN FRONT OF THE TV WATCHING THE BEGINNING OF A CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL GAME. A 'BUFFET STYLE DINNER WAS JUST ABOUT TO BE SERVED IN THE KITCHEN. WHILE WE ALL ENJOYING THE AFTERNOON, SOMEONE WHO WAS PRAYING UP IN SACRIFICE VALLEY THAT DAY, MADE A STARTLING DISCOVERY...AN ELDERLY WOMAN WALKING ALONG ANOTHER PATHWAY IN SACRIFICE VALLEY, NOTICED SOMETHING ABOUT THE GRASSES. THEY APPEARED TO BE BROWN AS IF THERE WAS A LINE OF BURNED GRASS..SHE FOLLOWED THIS "LINE OF CHARRED GRASS DOWN ANOTHER PATH! WAY UNTIL SHE SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE THIS GIANT MYSTERIOUS STATUE OF A GOD!THERE LYING AT THE FOOT OF THE TIKI STATUE..A BURNED MARIACLARA GOWN, A NECKLACE, A LADY'S PANTY & BRA WERE DISCOVERED! THE CLOTHES WERE PHOTOGRAPHED ALONG WITH THIS MYSTERIOUS TIKI STATUE..WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY NOT KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN THERE. THE PICTURES WERE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE CRIME LAB AT THE PHILIPPINE POLICE HEADQUARTERS TO BE STUDIED. THE NEWS FLASH WAS ABOUT TO INTERRUPT THE COVERAGE OF THE BASKETBALL GAME. DINNER WAS SERVED, ALL OF STOOD IN LINE IN FRONT OF THE TABLE AND HELPED OURSELVES TO THE FOOD...LITTLE JOHNMARK REMAINED IN THE LIVING ROOM AND WATCHED THE BASKETBALL GAME WHICH THEN WAS SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED BY THE NEWS FLASH OF THE DISCOVERY IN SACRIFICE VALLEY. HE WATCHED THE ENTIRE NEWS WHILE WE ALL WERE IN THE KITCHEN....THE BASKETBALL GAME COVERAGE HAD RESUMED BY THE TIME WE MEN RETURNED WITH A PLATE FULL OF FILIPINO FOOD. SITTING & EATING, WE TALKED AWAY ABOUT THE GAME.....SEVERAL MILES AWAY IN QUEZON CITY, LUISA'S CO-WORKERS, A MODELING STUDIO MANAGER, AND A ROOMATE SAW THE ENTIRE NEWS FLASH...A HOUSEMAID NAMED ADELLA INSTANTLY RECOGNIZED WHOSE MARIA-CLARA GOWN THAT WAS AND PHONED POLICE AS WELL AS THE MANILA TIMES AND OTHER NEWS MEDIA....IN CAVITE CITY, A GLASS OF WINE FELL & BROKE INTO PIECES ALONG WITH AN EXPENSIVE END TABLE WHEN CHRIS TRIPPED OVER IT WHEN HE SAW THE TV PICTURES OF THE CLOTHES.....MEANWHILE BACK IN PACO, I THEN OVERHEARD JUVY MENTION TO ENCAR & MARIA ABOUT HER SISTER....A FEW MINUTES LATER, SHE CAME INTO THE LIVING ROOM HOLDING CECIL IN HER ARMS AND WANTED TO ASK ME ABOUT LUISA..WELL I NOW FOUND MYSELF IN A VERY TIGHT POSITION...I THEN ADMITTED TO JUVY THAT LUISA AND I WERE SEEING EACH OTHER A COUPLE OF NIGHTS IN QUEZON CITY...WE HAD PLANS TO MEET SECRETLY IN OSMENA PARK WHICH WE DID.. THEN ON THE SECOND NIGHT, SHE & I WENT TO A DISCOTEQUE..JUVY WAS DISAPPOINTED AT US DOING THIS...BUT I HAD TO TELL HER THAT LUISA WANTED TO SEE ME BECAUSE SHE FELT SO BAD ABOUT WHAT HER MOTHER HAD DONE TO HER IN THE MALL DURING THAT PREVIOUS WEEK AND THAT I WAS THERE TO COMFORT HER. AGAIN JUVY ASKED ME TO LET HER KNOW ABOUT LUISA. IT WAS THEN THAT ROGELIO CALLED ME OVER TO THE NEXT ROOM AND ARNED ME THAT HE COULD NOW SENSE THAT SHE(JUVY) WAS GETTING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS AS TO WHY LUISA HAD NOT CONTACT HER SINCE LAST FRIDAY AND THAT NO ONE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT HER. AT SEVEN 0'CLOCK LITO & JUVY LEFT TO GO BACK HOME TO PAMPANGA. ROGELIO AND LORNA DECIDED TO STAY HERE FOR THE NIGHT AND LEAVE EARLY THE NEXT MORNING...MONDAY NOVEMBER 2 WENT ALONG ALMOST TOTALLY UNEVENTFUL BUT SUSPICION WAS DEFINATELY ON THE RISE. THE NEWS ABOUT WHAT THE SACRIFICE VALLEY DISCOVERY WAS SPREADING AT AN ALARMING RATE....IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF TUESDAY NOV. 3 SOMETHING WOKE ME UP FROM A SOUND SLEEP..IT WAS A SIXTH SENSE WARNING ME THAT I WAS ABOUT TO FACE A TRIAL....IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...I MANAGED TO FALL BACK TO SLEEP ONLY TO BE AWAKENED BY A LOUD KNOCKING AT THE DOOR AT SHORTLY AFTER SIX 0'CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING. WHEN MARIA ANSWERED IT, THE MANAGER OF ROSITA'S MODELING STUDIO STOOD AT THE DOOR ALONG WITH JOSIE, LUISA'S ROOMATE, ADELLA PUGANAN THE HOUSEMAID, TWO UNIFORMED MANILA POLICE OFFICERS AND A INVESTIGATOR. THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT I ALONG WITH ROGELIO, CHRIS AND MANOY HAD FOLLOWED LUISA OFF TO SACRIFICE VALLEY ON THE NIGHT THAT SHE VANISHED!....MARIAMELDA WAS FURIOUS BEYOND WORDS....THEY INFORMED HER THAT I ALONG WITH THE OTHER MEN WERE POSSIBLE MURDER SUSPECTS! WHEN THEY LEFT, MARIA CAME RUNNING UP THE STAIRS SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HER VOICE SAYING THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TURN ME IN TO THE POLICE AS A MURDER SUSPECT...SHE THEN VOWED TO CONTACT JUVY, MICHAEL (HER OLDEST SON..LUISA'S OLDER BROTHER) WHO WAS IN SAUDI ARABIA AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO LUISA. I HAD TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY NOW....FOR A FEW HOURS, I WAS HORROR-STRUCK AGAIN..THIS TIME ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING HAULED AWAY TO A PHILIPPINE PRISON..BUT ROGELIO THEN GOT IN TOUCH WITH CHRIS DELEON IN CAVITE CITY, INFORMING HIM OF THE! DILEMA(S) THAT NOT ONLY ME BUT ALL OF US WERE IN. CHRIS, ROGELIO, AND MANOY DEVISED A PLAN THAT I WAS TO PACK EVERYTHING WHICH I BROUGHT WITH ME TO THE PHILIPPINES, CATCH THE EARLIST JEEPNEY AND GET OVER TO A LITTLE CAFE LOCATED ON ROXAS BOULEVARD ACROSS FROM THE PHILIPPINE CULTURAL CENTER. I HAD TO BE THERE BY ABSOLUTELY NO LATER THAN 5 PM OR GO TO JAIL! I WAS THERE RIGHT ON TIME...MARIAMELDA MY EX-WIFE HAD GONE SOMEWHERE BY THAT AFTERNOON, TO THE POLICE STATION I PRESUMED..TO REPORT WHAT SHE KNEW AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THIS HORRIBLE TRAGIC EVENT...( REVENGE FOR A DIVORCE...AN AFFAIR WITH HER DAUGHTER..ETC.) FROM THE CAFE, CHRIS CALLED FOR A LIMOSENE. WE SPED OFF TO HIS PARENT'S MANSION IN CAVITE CITY WHERE WE ARRIVED BY 9:30 PM. HERE I WAS TO REMAIN BEHIND THE GATES SURROUNDING THE ESTATE UNTIL MY RETURN FLIGHT BACK TO AMERICA..FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 60 HOURS, I RELAXED AND HAD A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP....ALL OF THE NEXT DAY, CHRIS GOT ONTO HIS COMPUTER AND LOOKED UP EVERY FLIGHT LEAVING M! ANILA FOR AMERICAN DESTINATIONS..

AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET ME OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CHRIS HAD BOOKED ME ON A PAN AM FLIGHT LEAVING AT MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT NOV 3. JUST BEFORE I LEFT, MANOY ARRIVED AT THE MANSION. CHRIS INVITED HIM TO STAY AND HAVE DINNER. AFTER SUPPER, HE PRESENTED US WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THAT UNKNOWN SECTION OF SACRIFICE VALLEY WHERE THE TIKI STATUE THAT LUISA CLIMBED UP ON AND VANISHED RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES...MANOY FOUND OUT THAT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 YEARS AGO, AN ANCIENT ABORIGINAL TRIBAL VILLAGE EXISTED THERE. THEY WORSHIPPED A PAGAN GOD WHOM THEY ERECTED THIS TIKI LIKE STATUE IN HIS IMAGE...THE ANCIENT INHABITANTS OFFERED FOOD TO THIS GOD WHOM THEY REFERED TO AS "TIKIYAN." ACCORDING TO LEGEND, ONE YEAR, THE INHABITANTS FAILED TO GIVE "TIKIYAN" THE FOOD OFFERING WHICH HE REQUIRED..THIS IN TURN MADE HIM ANGRY..HE THEN REQUIRED A HUMAN SACRIFICE AS PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE.. HE WANTED A YOUNG LADY A BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN FOR SACRIFICE...THE NATIVES AGAIN REFUSED... ANGERED FURTHER BY THEIR CONTINUED DISOBEDIENCE..HE LEVIED A HORRIBLE CURSE UPON THEM...LEGEND HAD IT THAT THEY ALL DIED SUDDENLY..THE CAUSE REMAINED A MYSTERY TO THIS VERY DAY...MANOY'S RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS CURSE STILL EXISTS TODAY IN THAT SECTION OF SACRIFICE VALLEY...MANOY'S RESEARCH FURTHER REVEALED THAT OTHER YOUNG LADIES HAD MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED IN SACRIFICE VALLEY..ONE LADY NAMED AMALIA FUENTES VANISHED LATE ONE NIGHT BACK IN 1963..AFTER AN ARGUMENT WITH HER HUSBAND....ANOTHER LADY HAD GONE TO SACRIFICE VALLEY TO PRAY BACK IN THE YEAR 1958 AND HAD VANISHED MYSTERIOUSLY....AND NOW A FILIPINO COVER MODEL IN 1998.....NO ONE COULD COMPLETELY SOLVE ANY OF THESE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES. THEY ALL ENDED UP BEING FILED UNDER "UNSOLVABLE MYSTERIES." WEDNESDAY NOV. 4TH WAS THE CLOSEST CALL I EVER EXPERIENCED. WE PLANNED MY ESCAPE TO THE AIRPORT UNDER THE CLOSEST & TIGHTEST TIMING YOU COULD EVEN IMAGINE...THE LOTA FAMILY WAS RIGHT ON MY HEELS ALONG WITH THE POLICE WITH AN ARREST WARRANT FOR CHRIS & I. CHRIS, HIS PARENTS, & I GOT TO THE AIRPORT IN MANILA WITHOUT A MERE SECOND TO SPARE...THE LOTA FAMILY HAD RECIEVED WORD THAT I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO AMERICA AND THEY WERE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO STOP ME AND HAVE ME DETAINED HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES TO FACE TRIAL FOR MURDER..LADY LUCK AND THE GRACE OF GOD WOULD PROVE TO BE ON MY SIDE WHEN WE HURRIED THROUGH THE CHECK IN GATE AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR TO THE GATE WHERE MY FLIGHT BACK TO AMERICA WAS WAITING....TIME WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE HOWEVER AS THE LOTA FAMILY WAS HOT ON MY HEELS....THEY WERE RACING TO GET TO MANILA'S NINOY AQUINO AIRPORT...AND HAD ARRIVED AT THE GATE JUST IN TIME TO SEE MY FLIGHT DEPART WITH ME ON IT!(AFTER 21 HOURS OF FLYING AND A BUS TRIP, I ARRIVED BACK IN POTSDAM AROUND MIDNIGHT NEW YORK TIME THURSDAY NOV. 5TH) CHRIS HOWEVER WAS ARRESTED AND DETAINED BY THE PHILIPPINE POLICE AND QUESTIONED ABOUT WHAT HE KNEW.. HE TOLD THEM EVERYTHING HE SAW...HE ALONG WITH MANOY WERE RELEASED TO APPEAR AT A LATER DATE FOR TRIAL..THE TRIAL ENDED AS AN AQUITTAL DUE TO LACK OF CREDIBLE EVIDENCE..THE CASE WAS CLOSED AS A MYSTERY IN JANUARY 1999......IN EARLY MARCH OF THAT SAME YEAR 1999, THE FIRST OF TWO STRANGE APPEARANCES OCCURED....TW0 SMALL BOYS WHO LIVED NEAR THE AREA WHERE THE PATHWAY LEADING DOWN INTO SACRIFICE VALLEY WERE PLAYING HIDE- N- SEEK. IT WAS SHORTLY BEFORE SUNSET ABOUT 6:10 PM. WHEN LITTLE JUN BASTIDAS RAN DOWN INTO THE PATHWAY WHICH WOUND ITS WAY DOWN INTO SACRIFICE VALLEY..HE WAS HIDING WHILE HIS OLDER BROTHER HAD COVERED HIS EYES AND COUNTED...JUN HAD NOT VENTURED THAT FAR WHEN HIS OLDER BROTHER EMMANUEL FINISHED COUNTING AND CAME LOOKING FOR HIM..JUN WAS CROUCHING DOWN AMONG THE GROVE OF ELEPHANT LEAVES.IT WAS ALREADY PRETTY DARK IN THE JUNGLE WHEN HE SUDDENLY NOTICED SOMETHING AWAYS OFF IN THE DISTANCE...IT SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING GLOWING WITH A STRANGE WHITE LIGHT....JUN WAS NOW CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT WAS AND GOT UP AND WALKED TOWARDS IT. EMMANUEL SPOTTED HIS LITTLE BROTHER BUT HE COULD SEE THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN SOMETHING OFF IN THE DISTANCE. "ANO ANG DOON? WHAT IS IT YOU SEE OVER THERE? HE ASKED "HINDE KO ALAM" ( I DON'T KNOW) BUT IT IS SOME KIND OF A LIGHT LET'S GO NEARER TO IT AND SEE WHAT IT IS, I'M INTERSTED. WHEN JUN & EMMANUEL WALKED SLOWLY TOWARDS IT..THEY SUDDENLY SAW THAT IT WAS A YOUNG LADY! SHE WAS DRESSED IN A LONG, WHITE "MARIA-CLARA' GOWN. HER LONG, BLACK HAIR HUNG ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HER WAIST AFFIXED WITH A BOUQUET OF SAMPAGUITA FLOWERS IN IT..SHE WAS DESCRIBED AS A "MAGAYON- MAGAYON" FILIPINA! ( A BEAUTIFUL- BEAUTIFUL FILIPINO GIRL!) SHE LOOKED RIGHT AT US AND HELD OUT BOTH HER ARMS TO US AS IF SHE WANTED US TO COME TO HER BUT THEN WE COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS CRYING! ..THEN SUDDENLY SHE DISAPPEARED RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES..JUN & EMMANUEL RAN HOME TO TELL THEIR PARENTS JUST WHAT THEY HAD SEEN...INSTEAD OF LAUGHING AT THEM...THEIR PARENTS RAN OVER TO THE "EYE OF GOD" LIT A CANDLE AND IMMEDIATELY FELL DOWN ON THEIR KNEES AND PRAYED....THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD! SEEN AN ANGEL...OR RATHER A "WHITE LADY" THE NEWS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPINES OF THIS SIGHTING WHICH THEN BECAME KNOWN AS THE "WHITE LADY OF THE PHILIPPINES"......5 MONTHS LATER IN AUGUST 1999, WHILE VISITING SOME RELATIVEDS IN LEYTE PROVINCE IN THE SOUTHERN CENTRAL PHILIPPINES, HE WAS INVITED TO ATTEND A "SEANSE" IN THE VILLAGE OF ORMOC. A MEDIUM NAMED LADY MAMAYAN GATHERED HIM AND A FEW OTHERS AROUND A ROUND TABLE IN A DARKENED ROOM WITH A CANDLE LIT IN THE CENTER OF THE TABLE.....SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO CALL ON THE SPIRIT OF MARIALUISA LOTA....AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF SUMMONING..CHRIS DESCRIBED TO ME IN A LETTER......" ALL OF A SUDDEN LADY MAMAYAN'S VOICE CHANGED INTO THE VOICE OF A YOUNG LADY..THE CURTAINS COVERING THE WINDOWS IN THAT UPSTAIRS BEDROOM BEGAN TO WAVE AS IF BEING BLOWN BY A WIND..BUT THE WINDOWS WERE CLOSED AND THERE WAS NO FAN ON..THE CANDLE IN THE CENTER FLICKERED...AND THE VOICE OF LUISA COULD BE HEARD BY ALL OF THOSE SITTING AT THE TABLE.....LADY MAMAYAN'S VOICE NOW THAT OF MARIALUISA BEGAN TO CHOKE AND CRY A S SHE TOLD OF HOW BADLY SHE WAS HURT BY THE PICTURES AND THE DOCUMENTS THAT MARIAMELDA & ENCAR HAD SHOWN HER 10- MONTHS EARLIER....CHRIS TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HER THAT THOSE PICTURES HAD BEEN FAKED..THE VOICE THEN SCREAMED OUT LOUD IN RETURN CALLING CHRIS A LIAR ALONG WITH HER MOTHER AND AUNT ENCAR MATUBA..LOUD SOBBING ACCOMPANIED HER SCREAMS...CHRIS BEGAN TO FEEL HELPLESS NOW...AS LUISA'S SPIRIT TORE INTO HIM..LUISA'S GHOST ALSO INFORMED HIM OF MY BEING FRAMED FOR MURDER WHEN IT WAS NOT TRUE...SHE THEN ASKED ABOUT HER PAPA RICK(ME)CHRIS THEN TOLD HER THAT I HAD RETURNED HOME TO AMERICA AND HAD SUFFERED ANOTHER TRAGEDY..HIS FATHER'S DEATH ON JANUARY 13, 1999. LUISA'S SPIRIT THEN INFORMED THEM ALL THAT DAD WAS WITH HER WHERE SHE WAS ....AND TO TELL ME NOT TO GIVE UP HOPE BUT TO PRAY.....THEN LUISA'S VOICE BECAME FAINTER AND FAINTER AS IF SHE WAS HEADED OFF INTO THE DISTANCE UNTIL THE NORMAL VOICE OF LADY MAMAYAN RETURNED..THIS PRETTY MUCH ENDS MY STORY ABOUT THE MOST PRECIOUS DAU! GHTER WHOM ANYONE COULD EVER KNOW.. AS OF THIS DAY, NOTHING MORE HAS BEEN HEARD OF OBSERVED OF MARIALUISA LOTA. ALTHOUGH ONE NIGHT JUST LAST FEBRUARY 2000, I FELT HER KISSING ME ON THE LIPS IN A DREAM..I COULD ACTUALLY FEEL HER LIPS AGAINST MINE...ANOTHER DREAM OCCURED WHERE I ACTUALLY SAW HER EYES..THEY SHINED LIKE STARS...AND HER LONG BLACK HAIR COULD BE FELT HANGING DOWN MY LEG AS IF SHE WAS LYING WITH HER HEAD IN MY LAP.... WELL THIS ENDS MY STORY.... THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION

SINCERLY YOURS; RICHARD J O'HANLON JR.

O_HANLON@frightscape.zzn.com

rikohanlin_25@yahoo.com

rikko@cyberdude.com