INTERVIEW WITH THE WARLOCK

The hexing side of The Craft, according to Mang Edol, is divided into three major techniques: barang, gaway and paktol. Over at POC's Buhay Pinoy channel scribbler Dennis Villegas went to Siquijor and sought out the arguably most popular and powerful sorceror on the island.

This is pretty decent, efficiently verite reportage, if not of the new journ/gonzo caliber. All in all an illuminating read. His complete interview can be read here.

Here's some excerpts.

Witchcraft and sorcery are alive and well here on the island of Siquijor,Philippines. This mystical island is considered the navel of sorcery and magic in the Philippines---in this place, I found that it was never a question of whether these sorcerers exist or not, but rather if their powers are truly effective or not.

In particular, I was constantly hearing about this powerful sorcerer who lives in one of the remote villages of Siquijor, whose name is invariably mentioned by residents whenever sorcery is being discussed -- Mr. Alberto "Manong Edol" Baroro.

I decided to meet Manong Edol and perhaps interview him and photograph his work, if he permits it. Incidentally, my habal-habal driver, Johnson, frequently transported clients to Manong Edol’s house. When I told Johnson my intention to meet Manong Edol, he arranged a late afternoon meeting between me and the Siquijor sorcerer.

It was a rainy late afternoon last April 1 when I met Manong Edol. He lives in the little uphill village of Cang-Atuyom, on the slopes of the mystical Mount Bandilaan in the town of San Antonio, Siquijor. Mount Bandilaan is the highest point and dead center of Siquijor island.

The house where Manong Edol lived was accessible only through a narrow dirt path from the unasphalted main road. The path was an alternating upward and downward slope that, when it rained like it did that day, became very slippery. After several minutes of rough climbing and descending, we finally spotted the house of Manong Edol, a structure made of wood and concrete, surrounded by huge trees.

In front of Manong Edol’s house was a garden planted with various kinds of shrubs and herbs. I noticed that the house was isolated. The nearest neighbor was one we passed by earlier, some two kilometers away.