Baguio's Most Haunted Revisited

     Baguio city,  the summer capital of the Philippines.   I have been to this place many times and I will keep on going back to that place all over again because of it's cool climate and beautiful tourist destinations.
     Baguio city is located approximately 1,540 meters ( 5,050 ft. ) above see level in the Luzon tropical pine forest ecoregion in the province of Benguet.  It is a highly urbanized city and there are famous tourist attraction that the city can offer and they  are the Penabenga Park; Wright park;  Baguio city hall;  SM city Baguio; Baguio Cathedral; Burham park lake and BenCab museum.  Well these are the popular places that can be visited.
     Baguio is also known for having alot of haunted places.  Infact alot if tourists claimed that there are transient houses that are infested with ghost.  Haunted places in Baguio also add to the tourist attraction sites and there are infamous haunted places that can be visited.  The Laperal guest house,  Teachers' Camp, Casa vallejo and the Diplomat hotel which is the most haunted of them all.

     We were going  to the Banaue rice terraces but we decided  to stop by Baguio city just to visit the old abandoned Diplomat hotel.  It was my second time to visit this haunted place and a friend of mine who tagged along with me also wanted to see the old ruins of Baguio.

Photo of the Diplomat hotel in the 1920s

     History and background:

     There were reports of strange occurrences with in the walls of the old hotel and near by  residents claimed that at night slamming of the doors and dragging of chains and cluttering and breaking of plates were heard.  Even security guards assigned on graveyard shifts often seen shadowy figures resembling nuns would roam the corridors of the hotel.  Reports of other apparitions were prevalent here.  It was said that during the WWII,  the japanese infantry invaded the diplomat hotel making it as a headquarter and before the liberation, barbaric acts were carried out by the Japanese soldiers within the walls of  dominican hotel.   Dominican priests were murdered and decapitated,  nuns were raped and killed and even the children were not spared  even the helpless kids were decapitated as well in the fountain area.
     After the liberation, the hotel sustained  heavy damage and it was renovated.  Tony Agpaoa, an entrepreneur and a psychic surgeon manage the hotel but  he died of heart attack and because of the continuing series of paranormal activities, the hotel ceased operation and was abandoned. Until today, residents still reports of ghastly agonizing sound of cries, mourn of sorrow and deep despair from the hotel.
     When the first time I visited the place, I could really tell that there was something there and the second time I visited,  the same eerie sensation that I felt that ran through my spine specialy in the fountain area.  The old hotel has two fountain areas.  It was said to be where the massacre took place of Dominican priests, nuns and children.  Because  of the strange events of paranormal activities,  the old hotel was featured on television programs as a holloween presentation.

The fountain area where it was said that ghost apparition is prevalent 

The corridor 

     Though the diplomat hotel was considered as the most haunted and series of paranormal occurrences are very prevalent, it was made into a historical land mark and a heritage site.   Today the place can be used and rented for wedding venues and photoshoots.

     Sources:

     www.wheninmanila.com
     www.aswangproject.com
     www.traveladvisor.com