AT LEAST 13 students of Patupat National High School in Barili town, southwest Cebu were allegedly possessed by evil spirits in the middle of their class.
The incident happened at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2023, according to Staff Sergeant Carlos Dicdican.
The students were attended to by their teachers and classmates before the personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) arrived.
The MDRRMO personnel brought the 10 students to Birhen delos Remedios chapel in Patupat for a priest to perform an exorcism, while the three others were taken to the school’s infirmary.
The victims were all females between the ages of 15 and 16 who were in grade 7, junior high, and senior high.
According to Patupat barangay captain Angelito Nemeño, the students were already tired and not feeling well as of Monday, March 14.
"Ang nahibaw-an nako diha to nagsugod kanang camp fire last year mga bata tingali nagduwa-duwa siguro. Pero the other day, wala lang gyud to panumbalinga kay ingon napasmo lang walay kaon ana. Pero ang gipakita sa bata murag kanang isog nga lahi na og sinultian," Nemeño said.
(What I do know is that it began last year during the campfire, perhaps while the kids were having fun. But the other day, I simply ignored it because it's possible that they were only hungry because they hadn't eaten. But the child appeared like a brave man who spoke in a different way.)
Nemeño added that the teachers were also wondering why the incident happened since their school is situated in an open ground, not in a woodland.
"Karong adlawa, nibalik na og eskwela. Karon maoy pinakadaghan nikuyanap na. Lain kaayo kay mosinggit naman og pahawa kay hutdon ta mo og patay. Mo-duol ka, ingnon kag pahawa," said Nemeño.
(Today, they returned to school. There are more students now. It's different because they shout, “Leave, I'm going to kill you all.” If you come closer, they will tell you to leave.)
In line with this, Nemeño suggested to the school principal to temporarily suspend classes while the victims are still recovering and to make room for the blessing and Holy Mass in order to drive away the bad elements.
He also agreed with the idea of the school officials to hold a Holy Mass in the school once a month.
Meanwhile, Fr. Reynaldo Cui, who performed the exorcism rites, described the incident as a "mass hysteria."
It is said that the victims found a shadow of a man.
Cui said the victims cannot be considered possessed if the case falls within the exorcism category.
"Dili pa man gyud to matawag nga possession actually kay sa classification ana sa exorcism literature, mura na siya'g oppression. Kay naa may auditory hauntings, naa may visions, apparitions. Kay ang possessed gyud nga tawo, mausab man ang tingog. Ganiha, ila lang gihapon tingog pero kusgan," Cui said.
(It really can’t be called possession but rather oppression as being classified under the exorcism literature. Because there are auditory hauntings, there are visions, apparitions. The possessed person can change his voice. Their voices are still the same but strong.)
The priest asserted that after praying for them and hearing their confessions, he was able to calm the students down.
Cui then went to the school to offer a prayer for deliverance.
"Makita nato nga daghan kaayog guba tungod sa bagyong Odette, akong makita ani gawas sa elemental spirits. Tungod sa kadaghang rooms nga nangaguba, nacongested sila sa usa ka room so most likely kung grabeng stress sa mga bata, mo-aggravate," Cui said.
(I can see that Typhoon Odette caused a lot of damage, in addition to the elemental spirits. Due to the many rooms that were destroyed, they were crowded into one room, so most likely the children’s condition will probably worsen if they are under a lot of stress.) (ANV/TPT)