THE “mass hysteria” that may have traumatized the 14 students in Hinawanan National High School, barangay Hinawanan, Loay town on Thursday last week is believed to be the work of “bad spirits,” according to teachers whose identities are under wraps.
The mass hysteria, which no scientific explanation could unwrap its mystery, yet, struck the students in this peculiar place, was the latest after similar incident experienced by over 200 students in San Jose National High in barangay San Jose, Talibon town recently.
A lady teacher said in interview that she believed the said hysteria was a form of retaliation against the blessing with holy water of the building where the bad spirit is believed resides and the surroundings of the school.
She narrated that on Monday of last week, a student (she did not name) told her (teacher) she was somehow bothered by a “black man” she always saw even while at home.
This prompted the teacher to propose to have the school blessed by holy water by a priest administering. The following day (Tuesday) the blessing took place. And then on Wednesday, nothing happened, just a regular school day for the students and teachers.
Then came Thursday when one of the students has gone weird actions and minutes later, it “contaminated” other students as well. Some fainted that nobody could explain, the teacher said.
The school called for help of the town’s rescue team to help them in “resuscitating” the ones who appeared to have passed out and believed to be “possessed” by bad spirits.
Some of the student-victims were being donned by holy rosary but the affected students reacted angrily as if they wanted to take out the holy rosaries put on them, the teacher said.
Hours passed, the incident subsided and the school authorities decided to stop the classes and advised the students to go home.
The following day, Friday the 13th of October, there was no physical presence of the students that made the school so quiet, but they’re on module mode of studying, according to school principal Glicerio Raya.
Nobody from the school could explain why the “bad spirits” hit the students.
The school site beside the Candontol Primary School is surrounded by at least one big Acacia tree, one Acacia is infront of the school and other tree species, like the Antipolo.
The teacher said that the school authorities agreed to conduct a “deliverance” to be administered by a priest on Saturday.
“Deliverance and exorcism are two different forms of spiritual intervention. Deliverance is a broad term that can mean being freed from any problem of a spiritual nature or cause. Here it will be defined as deprecatory prayer (a request) offered with the hope that God will free a person from a spiritual affliction,” according to St. Paul Center website.
Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, “Be silent, and come out of him!” (Mark 1:25) (rvo)
