Balbal

The Balbal is from the Tagbanua people of the Philippines. This creature is a form of Aswang known to eat corpses. They glide from rooftop to rooftop with membranous wings that stretch from their wrists to their ankles, similar to those of flying squirrels. They are human shaped with long hooked nails that they use to tear open thatched roofs. They snatch up corpses or sleeping people with a long powerful tongue. They often replace the corpses they take with banana stalk doubles. They can be frightened away by placing oil on a doorway.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.

Ramos, Maximo D.. Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Philippines, Phoenix Publishing House, 1990.