From the Saltbeds by Restituto C. Basa

LIMAHONG, who was dubbed by his enemies, the Spanish authorities, as a “blood-thirsty pirate”, built his fortress in Domalandan.

Here he tarried for over seven months from December 8, 1574 up to August 4, 1575.

In 1989, Professor Cesar V. Callanta, a native of Dagupan, wrote a book - “The Limahong Invasion”. In this book, Professor Callanta wrote:

“Limahong carried enough treasures to buy an empire.”

What happened to this treasure?

No one knows for sure. Some writers speculate that Limahong brought this treasure along with him, when he left Domalandan for freedom in the high seas on August 4, 1575.

Professor Callanta is one of those who hold this view.

Others believe he hid it in a cave underneath the sea on Cabalitian island in Sual.

This treasure is said to being protected by a mermaid.

To this day, some of us, Pangasinenses believe that there truly is a mermaid in the deep waters around Cabalitian island.

Recently, the Villamil-Jovellanos clan of Dagupan had an outing in Cabalitian. They went there primarily to do swimming and have a picnic at lunch time.

One of them, a young physician, disappeared quietly. When the family decided to pack up and go home, he was nowhere to be found.

The family consensus was that he may have been taken by the mermaid. She found the doctor very handsome and took fancy of him.

The family could not believe that he drowned. He was a good swimmer.

Do you believe in mermaids?

Early Dagupeños did believe in mermaids.

In 1925, when Don Guillermo de Venecia was municipal president of the town, he built the Dagupan town hall. This building still exists to this day. It is being used as the city hall.

When this town hall was built in 1925, there was an artwork executed by an excellent sculptor. The artwork was a mermaid in front of the municipal hall.

Unfortunately, when the municipal hall annex was built, the statue of the mermaid was covered with earth filling and the building was constructed above it.

Sayang. A precious cultural heritage was lost.