Several supernatural entities reside in Malacañang, according to longtime staff members and no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, before his current term, lived in the Palace for 21 years during the long tenure of his late father.
In his latest vlog on Tuesday, Marcos Jr. shared spine-tingling stories of supernatural encounters in historic Malacañang — the official residence and office of the President of the Philippines — during his teenage years.
Built in 1750 by Spanish aristocrat Don Luis Rocha, Malacañang originally served as a private summer home. It was acquired by the state in 1825 for use as a summer residence for the governor-general during the Spanish colonial times.
Over the years, it has been home to 18 governors-general, 14 American military and civil governors, and several Philippine presidents.
The most extensive remodeling occurred during the term of his father and namesake, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., when his mother, then First Lady Imelda Marcos, oversaw the project.
Marcos Jr. said the Palace's supernatural history persists despite numerous renovations and refurbishments.
He said he and his friends used to venture into the dark corners of the Palace, engaging in ghost-hunting expeditions.
'There's a ghost!'
"One of my friends was about to open a door. But before he could even touch the doorknob, the door opened on its own. Our screams echoed through the Palace as we raced back to my room at 2 a.m.," Marcos Jr. recalled.
He said they turned on all the Palace lights and played loud music to dispel their fear.
Another incident that Marcos Jr. shared occurred in a guest room near the state dining room.
"When I was staying in one of the guest rooms near the State Dining Room, where we hold Cabinet meetings today, there was one night I came home and just closed the door of my room. When I opened it again, I saw the chairs in the dining room suddenly moving on their own.
"So I screamed and ran to the security men. There's a ghost, I shouted. They said, 'It's probably just Father Brown.'"
Digging into the Palace's history, Marcos Jr. discovered that there was indeed an American named Father Brown who worked in the Palace during the American period.
To this day, he said Father Brown might still be keeping a watchful eye over Malacañang and its employees.