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Teleport (Wikimedia Commons)

Teleportation Man: Transport in the Blink of an Eye of a Spanish Soldier

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Teleportation is the transportation of a person or object from one place to another instantaneously.  There are many accounts where people have supposedly disappeared suddenly and the phenomenon is found in the myths and legends of many cultures.

One of the most famous incidents of teleportation occurred in 1593 AD when a strangely dressed soldier appeared among the sentries guarding the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City.  This soldier was wearing what appeared to be a guard’s costume, but in no way did it resemble what the other guards around him were wearing. Here is the case of Gil Perez; a man who showed up in Mexico, more than 9,000 nautical miles from Manila Philippines. It is a case from the official records of Mexico which has never been solved.

A Typical Spanish Soldier

The story of Gil Perez dates back to the 16th century when he was a Spanish soldier and palace guard of the Palacio del Gobernador (Governor’s Palace) in Manila, Philippines. Gil Perez was just a regular soldier until the morning of October 24, 1593. That day, Perez was on guard duty at the palace when something rather strange happened. 

 

Gil Perez (Cogitz/Wordpress)

Gil Perez (Cogitz/Wordpress)

From One Palacio to Another

Lack of sleep and a warm day caused Perez to become tired and he decided to take a short nap while leaning against the palace wall. When he reopened his eyes, Perez was surprised to find himself in an unknown location.

As he was still wearing the uniform of the guards of Palacio Del Gobernador, odd clothing for the new location, people began to approach him and wanted to learn who he was and what he was doing there. Perez admitted that while he was aware that he was no longer in the Philippines, he had no idea where he was now or how he had managed to get there.

Gil Perez in Mexico

When it was explained to him by Mexican officials that he was in Mexico City, Perez refused to believe it saying he had received his orders on the morning of October 23rd in Manila and that it was impossible for him to be in Mexico City on the evening of the 24th.

Plaza Mayor, Mexico City (Wikimedia Commons)

Plaza Mayor, Mexico City (Wikimedia Commons)

Perez was brought before the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition where they questioned the soldier extensively. He apparently told authorities that he had travelled from Manila to Mexico “in less time than it takes a cock to crow.”  Under questioning, Perez repeated his story with his testimony taken down by a Friar Gaspar de San Augustin. Here is a translation of Perez's statement as written by the Friar:

 “My name is Gil Perez,” the soldier testified . “As to standing sentry here, I am doing as nearly as possible what I was ordered to do. I was ordered this morning to mount guard at the doors of the governor’s palace in Manilla. I know very well that this is not the governor’s palace and evidently I am not in Manila. Why or how that may be, I know not. But here I am, and this is a palace of some kind, so I am doing my duty as nearly as possible. Last night the governor of the Philippines, His Excellency Don Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, had his head cracked with an axe and is dead of it.”

Escenca de Inquisición, Francisco Goya (1808/1812) (Wikimedia Commons)

Escenca de Inquisición, Francisco Goya (1808/1812) (Wikimedia Commons)

The Governor's Assassination

The governor of the Philippines had been assassinated by Chinese rowers while attempting to besiege Ternate, Cavity, with a fleet of galleys. Wishing to show a gesture of good will, Dasmarinas did not chain them to the oars, as was customary at the time, and allowed them to carry weapons with them. Three days after Dasmarinas left Manila, the Chinese killed him and most of his men while they slept and stole his galley.

Saved by a Galleon

The members of the Spanish Inquisition did not believe the story and locked him in jail for desertion and the possibility that he may have been serving Satan. For two months Perez languished in a jail in Mexico City, sticking to his story despite threats of torture. Finally, a Manila Galleon (merchant ship) arrived from the Philippines. The crew brought news of the Governor's assassination, just as Perez had described it months earlier. Furthermore, one of the passengers on the ship recognized Perez and swore he had seen him in the Philippines on October 23rd marching at the palace garrison. 

A Spanish Galleon (Wikimedia Commons)

A Spanish Galleon (Wikimedia Commons)

The Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition in Mexico seemed to have no other choice but to believe Perez's story and subsequently released him from jail and sent him home. When Perez returned to the Philippines he took up his former position as a palace guard, living out the rest of his life in a seemingly uneventful and ordinary way.

An Unsolved Mystery

The story is an intriguing case on the topic of teleportation that has survived over 400 years. Some historians, such as Mike Dash, contend that the incident only appeared in texts a century after it supposedly took place and highly doubt its authenticity. Other sources say the story is credible and there are even documents which can attest to its genuineness that can be found in the archives in Sevilla and Mexico City. Like it was then, it remains today an unsolved riddle in history.

Featured Image: Teleport (Wikimedia Commons)

By Bryan Hill

References

Ortega, Xavier. "Gil Pérez: A Strange Case Of Teleportation." Ghost Theory. Accessed November 13, 2013. http://www.ghosttheory.com/2013/11/14/gil-perez-a-strange-case-of-teleportation.

Barclay, Shelly. "Gil Perez and His Spontaneous Teleportation." Historic Mysteries. August 21, 2011. http://www.historicmysteries.com/gil-perez-and-his-spontaneous-teleportation/.

"Teleportation (strange Case)." Psychic 101. http://www.psychic101.com/teleportation-learn.html.

Webster, Richard. Astral Travel for Beginners. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications, 1998.

Spraggett, A. (1975, May 11). The Teleported Man. Retrieved from https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19750511&id=PewjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C1YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5443,4742774&hl=en

TELEPORTATION, the stories of Gil Perez and The Vidals (anything strange case #0002). (2015, February 3). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLXSql8iJVY

 

Comments

I find it very interesting this case about the Spanish soldier Gil Perez found a video where you tell more detail to your story. https://youtu.be/SOa-RSfqpa4

Bryan Hill's picture

Bryan

Bryan graduated with a Bachelor of Art in History from Suffolk University and has a background in museum volunteering and as well as working with children’s groups at the Museum of Science and the National Park Service.  He has traveled... Read More

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