Upon the assassination of Gov. Gomez Perez Dasmariñas in October 1593, guards were deployed to secure the palace to await the appointment of his successor. One of those who stood guard was a soldier named Gil Perez. During his duty, he suddenly felt sleepy, and momentarily closed his eyes to rest.
When he woke up, Perez was bewildered to find himself in a strange place with unfamiliar inhabitants. It was only after he was interrogated by the natives in Spanish that he realized he had woken up in Mexico City's plaza mayor—9,000 miles away!
Upon further questioning, the confused guard related his incredible teleportation story, including the Philippine governor's assassination—which was yet to be known in Mexico. Perez was jailed because he was thought to be a deserter; all he could say in his defense was that he had traveled from Manila to Mexico "in less time than it takes for a cock to crow."
Finally, a galleon from the Philippines arrived two months later, bringing news of the governor's death, just as the Filipino had reported. Some passengers of the ship also recognized Perez, who had last been seen in Manila on October 23. Perez was released, sent back to the Philippines, and resumed his guard duties—his mysterious experience never to be repeated.
(c) Alex Castro (spot.ph)