Current Date: 02 Aug, 2025
{{entry.title}}

The Mysterious Story of Gil Pérez, the Man Who Allegedly Teleported From Manila to Mexico

On October 24, 1593, while performing his guard duties at Manila's Governor's Palace in the Philippines, Gil Perez stopped to lean against a wall and sleep for a while. He opened his eyes to find himself in an unusual environment. Gil was in the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City. They imprisoned Perez, but the authorities in Mexico City decided to release him and return him home.

ESP, time travel, and teleportation are frequent plot devices in fiction. Why not? (Try counting how many time-defying tropes-containing books, films, or television shows were published this year.) It’s an intriguing idea, especially given that physicists claim it’s entirely feasible. But most of the time, reality is stranger than fiction.

Consider the Moberly-Jourdain incident, in which two women, Eleanor Jourdain and Charlotte Anne Moberly, asserted that they had traveled through time while at the Palace of Versailles in 1901. According to legend, the two realized that everything appeared unusual and surreal as they made their way to the Petit Trianon through the gardens after getting lost. They even implied that they had traveled back in time or had been haunted when they claimed to have encountered Marie Antoinette.

Although the Moberly-Jourdain incident is still one of the most well-known supernatural urban legends, there was the enigmatic case of the Spanish soldier Gil Pérez who is said to have teleported from Manila to Mexico in the 16th century years before.

gil perez weekly recess 1
Photo Credit: Wikipedia common

Gil Pérez served as a soldier for Spain in the early days of its administration of the Philippines. He served as a palace guard for the Gobernador-General as a member of the Guardia Civil. However, during a voyage to the Moluccas in October 1593, Chinese pirates assassinated the seventh governor-general, Gómez Pérez Dasmarias. Given that Dasmarias hadn’t chosen a successor and that there were several eminent Spaniards vying for the position, the time following his death was quite hectic.

During the early years of Spain’s rule in the Philippines, Gil Pérez served as a soldier. He was a guard for the Gobernador-palace General’s and a member of the Guardia Civil. However, on one occasion in October 1593, Chinese pirates killed the seventh governor-general Gómez Pérez Dasmarias while they were on an expedition in the Moluccas. When Dasmarias passed away, there was a lot of competition for the position among several well-known Spaniards because he hadn’t chosen a successor.

Pérez was reportedly guarding the palace when he reportedly started to feel faint and exhausted due to the tense circumstances. He then rested his head against the wall and fell asleep for a brief period of time. However, when he opened his eyes, he was shocked to discover that he had moved to a completely different location. He was told that he was in Mexico City’s Plaza Mayor (now known as the Zocalo) when he asked a passerby where he was. Guards in New Spain soon learned about Pérez because of his assertions and his peculiar Manila uniform. He was presented to the authorities, including Viceroy Luis de Velasco of New Spain, whose palace was where he was transported to.

Despite their understandable shock, Pérez was able to provide them with thorough answers to all of their questions, including the assassination of Dasmarias, which would not be proven for months because it had only occurred the night before. The Viceroy appreciated Pérez’s justifications, but it was only a matter of time before religious authorities got involved. He was given to the Holy Office of the Inquisition, also called the Spanish Inquisition, for additional interrogation. He was transported from Mexico to Santo Domingo in the Caribbean and imprisoned for leaving and being a “servant of the devil.”

gil perez weekly recess 2
Photo Credit: Wikipedia common

Pérez, a devoted and decorated soldier, handled everything well and cooperated with the law. It was even claimed that he chose prison over battling the Philippines’ jungle men. He was ultimately discovered to be a devoted Christian, and because of this discovery and his good behavior, he was never charged with any crimes. However, because the situation was so unusual, the authorities were at a loss for what to do and kept him behind bars until they made a firm decision.

When a Spanish galleon finally made its way to Acapulco, it was revealed that Pérez’s allegations about the Gobernador-General were accurate. Some of the passengers even recognized him as a palace guard when he was returned to Mexico. He was subsequently released and sent back to Manila on the following ship.

gil perez weekly recess 3
Photo Credit: Wikipedia common

The tale of Pérez has since gained notoriety. The American folklorist Thomas Allibone Janvier, Washington Irving, Luis González Obregón, Gaspar de San Agustn, Antonio de Morga, and even José Rizal have all written books and stories about it.

Although the story may seem unbelievable, people are still attempting to explain it centuries later. Perhaps a trip to Intramuros’ Palacio del Gobernador, where the Gobernador-former General’s residence during the Spanish colonial period once stood, will do for the time being.

Similar Stories
Marion Stokes recorded 30 years of television

Marion Stokes recorded 30 years of television

Marion Stokes, a Philadelphia woman began taping whatever was on television in 1979 and didn’t stop until her death in 2012. The 71,000 VHS and Betamax tapes she made are the most complete collection preserving this era of TV. They are being digitized by the Internet Archive.

Top 10 most cruel medical procedures that are being used today

Top 10 most cruel medical procedures that are being used today

We are all aware that medicine has advanced dramatically over the last fifty years. There are several modern medical approaches available today, but this was not always the case. However, the past of medicine is a dark one. Medical leeches, lobotomy, vascular surgery, cranial stenosis, and even electroshock therapy are all options. These are only a couple of the cruel healing techniques that are still in use today.

A Brief History of the PlayStation Gaming Console

A Brief History of the PlayStation Gaming Console

Sony's PlayStation was never meant to be an actual product. Instead, it was intended to be a CD-ROM console that would support Nintendo games. However, when Nintendo backed out of the deal at the last minute, Sony went ahead and launched what soon became one of the most successful gaming consoles of all time.

The History Behind the “No One Dies Alone” Program

The History Behind the “No One Dies Alone” Program

In 1986, while doing a night shift at the hospital, Sandra Clarke, a registered nurse, was asked by an elderly patient to stay. She promised to be back after checking on her other patients, but by the time she returned, the gentleman had passed away. Clarke became one of the key figures in launching No One Dies Alone, a program that allows volunteers to sit with terminal patients who have no one else.

George Dantzig solved two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics mistakenly as assignment

George Dantzig solved two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics mistakenly as assignment

In 1939, George Dantzig arrived late to his statistics class. On the board were two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics written as an example by his professor. Dantzig mistook the examples for homework assignments. He solved the “unsolved” problems and submitted the homework to his professor a few days later. His solutions earned him a doctorate.

The Assassination Of King Alexander

The Assassination Of King Alexander

The assassination of King Alexander of Yugoslavia marked a pivotal moment in the country's history. This article delves into the rise and reign of King Alexander, exploring his early life and ascension to the throne. It also examines the political and social climate in interwar Yugoslavia, setting the stage for the tensions and challenges that ultimately culminated in his tragic assassination. By understanding the context in which this event unfolded, we can better grasp the significance and impact it had on the nation and its future.

Keith Sapsford: The Story of 14-Year-Old Stowaway

Keith Sapsford: The Story of 14-Year-Old Stowaway

The final image of 14-year-old Australian Keith Sapsford, who aspired to travel the world. In February 1970, he sneaked into the wheel-well of a plane flying from Sydney to Tokyo. It opened mid-air & fell out. When a photographer was testing a new lens, he captured this moment on film and was surprised when it developed.