“Heart in my throat’: Pinoys document climb of ‘French Spiderman’ in Makati high-rise

March 5, 2024 - 6:42 PM
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Alain Robert
Urban climber Alain Robert, also known as the "French Spiderman" climbs the G.T. International Tower in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 5, 2024. (Reuters/Eloisa Lopez)

French urban climber Alain Robert disrupted the typically quiet Tuesday for office workers and other Pinoys after he was spotted scaling a 47-floor building in Makati City.

Robert, dubbed as the “French Spiderman” for his exploits, shocked Filipinos when videos and pictures of him climbing without a harness appeared on social media.

The 61-year-old foreigner scaled the GT Tower International, considered the second-tallest building in Makati.

Reports said the Makati City Police immediately arrested him after his climb.

According to ABS-CBN News, Robert performed the stunt to bring attention to and express support for the Philippines in defending its territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea amid constant Chinese encroachment.

The daredevil was also arrested after scaling the same building in 2019, when he was charged with “Alarms and Scandal and other forms of Trespass.”

At that time, then-Makati Police chief senior superintendent Rogelio Simon said that Robert climbed a building of “private property.”

“He does not have a permit, he lacks coordination. It’s also a safety threat to everyone. He can also be charged with public disturbance,” the cop said before.

Meanwhile, Filipinos who saw Robert’s recent stunt shared photos and videos of the incident on social media as he once again left Pinoys at a standstill.

“French Spiderman Alain Robert is at it again, after having climbed this building in 2019. Took this video from our 37/F office at GT Tower. My heart was in my throat watching him,” office worker Guita Resurrecion wrote on March 5.

“Human Spiderman prt [part] 2,” bank teller Mark Joseph Cordova wrote on Facebook.

Another Facebook user, Joey Nagaliza Mundero, also shared more clips of Robert and recalled how a similar stunt was performed years ago.

“Daredevil stunt na naman sa GT TOWER Makati, 2nd [Second] Time na ito umakyat, walang harness. What do you think, is that Alain Robert – The Human Spider, again? Solid, hahahaha,” he wrote.

Pictures from Reuters indicate that Robert wrapped his hands with bandages before scaling the skyscraper without a harness.

The daredevil is known for climbing some of the world’s tallest structures and famous edifices without harnesses or any safety equipment.

Some of the structures he has climbed in the past were the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House and Petronas Towers.

RELATED: Alain Robert adds Makati tower to list of dangerous (and illegal) skyscraper climbs