6 students ‘possessed’

CEBU, Philippines - Classes in a private school in Argao town were suspended after six students were allegedly possessed by “evil spirits” yesterday morning.

Lia Chavez, Principal of Argao Center for Science Learning Inc., said that after the three-hour incident she sent the students home to make sure they were safe.

She said that past 9 a.m. yesterday a 16-year-old female high school student started to act strangely while they were in the middle of their class and then a male student also started acting strange.

The boy, 16, said that when his classmate started acting strange he went to hold her. She reportedly told him “daghan na kaayo di na matabang” and when he touched her shoulder he saw “demons of all forms” all around.

Chavez said he also started to act and talk strange and was brought to the basketball court to be separated from the others. The boy said at that time he saw a pitch black image roaming the place and later black beings would come out of a portal to follow other students.

He also said darkness blocked the sky although he was still in the basketball court.

“Daghan gyud kaayo sir, di na gud ko kita sa langit kay daghan kaayong itom,” he said.

He said a “demon” came to him with a pot of gold in his left hand and a woman in his right hand and said if he will let them carry out their plans both prizes would be his.

“Ingon sila sir nga dili lang nako tabangan ang akong classmate nga gisudlan nila aron matuman ang ilang plano,” he said.

After he refused he said a portal formed in the middle of the basketball court and thousands of demons poured forth. He said the demons were mad because a book had been destroyed. 

“Ingon sila ngano kunong gisunog ang libro,” he added.

He added they threatened to possess the students one by one.  “Ana siya nga tagsa-tagsaon ta mo, inig sawp sa adlaw ug inig duga sa langit magsugod ang tanan,” he said.

A few minutes before he was interviewed by the media, the boy claimed a black figure was following him.

“Ingon ko, sir, hasta diri inyo gihapon kong sundan?” he said, and the figure disappeared.

Aside from the two fourth-years, four other students were reportedly possessed by the demons.

One of them, a female second year high school student and a cousin of the boy, said that after the flag ceremony while the principal was addressing the students she felt uneasy.

Inside the classroom while others were reportedly possessed she too felt something unexplainable. When she heard the prayer in the public address system her classmates told her that she covered her ears and then lost control of her body.

Her grandmother said that when she arrived at the school she saw her granddaughter’s classmates trying to hold her down.

“Kusgan lagi kaayo sir, bisan 20 pa ka classmate niya mokupot iwakli ra man gihapon,” the grandmother said.

The girl eventually calmed down and was asked to go home. She was brought by her grandmother to the Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Argao. She later said that she could not remember what happened but before she lost control she saw a black figure pass in front of her and touch her classmate.

Chavez said last week some of the students, including two of those who were reportedly possessed, played a hypnotism game taught to them by a student from another school.

Rev. Fr. Dindo Yosores of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish said he cannot confirm that what happened was a possession as only two priests in the archdiocese are trained to do so; Mons. Fred Kriekenbeek and Mons. Esteban Binghay.

He said that after he arrived at the school he offered prayer for peace and recited the Litany of Saints. — /BRP (FREEMAN)