Multo ng Nakaraan
(Ghosts of the Past)

Episode on October 31, 2005 The Manila Film Center has long been believed to be the Philippines’ largest tomb, haunted by the ghosts of an unknown number of workers believed to be buried underneath. Inspired by Greece’s Parthenon, the edifice was built to support the growth of Filipino cinema and as manifestation of the Philippines’ illusion of wealth, created by then First Couple Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. It was developed to house the 1st Manila International Film Festival in January 1982. However, at the height of its construction on Nov. 17, 1981, tragedy struck. A scaffolding of an upper floor collapsed and fell over an unknown number of construction workers. Since those were Martial Law years, the largely censored media failed to immediately see the tragedy's extent. A video shot by GMA cameraman Boy Sonza shows how bodies turned up while digging continued. He specifically focused on one unnamed worker who was buried in cement from the waist down for more than ten hours. When the rescuers finally hauled his body out, the man was already dead. In search for the truth of what transpired on that fateful night, Howie Severino tries to recover official accounts and reports of the incidents. Unfortunately, no such report exists neither with the Pasay police, who responded to the scene, nor with the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Newspaper articles tackle mostly about ghosts supposedly lurking in the area. Only a few actually printed articles on the tragedy itself. There are different claims as to whether or not some bodies were left buried underneath the building. One of the survivors, Eddie, claims all bodies have been dug up from the area. Another however, claims there are more people buried there than what most people know because there were barracks inside the construction area, and when the scaffolding collapsed, several male workers including their families were buried. He says not all bodies were retrieved because the construction had to be rushed in time for the film festival. I-Witness tried to get Imelda Marcos’ account but the former First Lady refused. However, the project’s contractor Eliodoro Ponio did agree to be interviewed. He claims what happened was no accident, but sabotage. Thirteen vertical supports were diagonally sewed, causing an entire floor to collapse. Asked about what happened to the workers who died during the incident, Ponio replies, "Kahit na kuko walang nakabaon doon, maniwala ka. Kung ako may kamag-anak dyan kahit na kakilala lang siguro, I would never allow that to happen, kukunin at kukunin ko yun. Dedemanda ko yung people who are responsible. Can you imagine ililibing mo dun ang tao? (Believe me, not even a fingernail was left there. If I knew someone buried there, I would not stop until I got the body out. I would sue whoever’s responsible. Can you imagine being buried there?) That’s why I saw to it that all workers who died were buried honorably." During the documentary’s making, I-Witness did not find any family who claims they have a relative who was left buried underneath the Manila Film Center nor did they find anyone who is still looking for someone missing since that tragedy. The team also did not encounter the ghosts believed to be haunting the building until now.