TENIENTE GIMO

When the Guest Becomes the Main Course

The Shake, Rattle and Roll film franchise introduced to us a kind of story plot that has become a staple in today’s countless horror flicks; people from the big city being invited by a friend from an isolated barrio, from a far flung province, to celebrate their fiesta. Little does the guest know, they will be feasted upon by the hordes of hungry aswang (or any man eating beast) hiding in the guise of a harmless neighbourhood. These creepy tales might take their inspiration from the classic, yet spine chilling, story of Teniente (Lieutenant) Gimo from Dueñas, Iloilo. By most accounts, Gimo was an individual who had an important position or status in his barrio (Teniente del Barrio or Baranggay Captain), so no one really bothered themselves to doubt the real identity.

It is said that Gimo’s daughter invited her friend into their house for a simple yet sumptuous dinner. Because transportation is quiet hard in their barrio and night was coming fast, the daughter of the teniente invited her friend to stay the night. The two shared a bed in the humble home. Although everything seemed safe and sound, there were things that kept the guest agitated and restless. From her bed, she could hear more guests arriving from the neighbourhood. She peaked out the window and saw a large cauldron in the backyard. Trying to sleep, she couldn’t help but notice that the teniente checked their room thrice during the night. Discomforted and suspicious, she asked the daughter of Gimo to switch places. She would sleep near the window while the daughter would sleep near the door. As it happened on the fourth time the door of the room opened, Teniente Gimo, together with some of their other guests,  grabbed the person nearest the door and put her in a sack. They proceeded to the backyard where the cauldron was already boiling hot. Unlike the film version, the supposed “dinner” of the Aswang managed to escape from their clutches.

Whether due to the film, a specific incident, or just gossip, stories have spread all over the Philippines about the flesh eating Teniente from Dueñas, Iloilo.