The Department of Education (DepEd) will be investigating the hysteria case among students in Jagna who were believed to have been possessed by evil spirits, although authorities are not dismissing other possible causes behind the incident.
According to Provincial Schools Superintendent Wilfreda Bongalos, DepEd officials will be looking into the health and nutrition of the affected children.
Bongalos said she has not received firsthand information on the incident from the administrators of the Jagna High School but DepEd authorities have been tasked to gather information on the case.
“I-check na namo sa among health and nutrition kay ingon ana at the very start kanang mga maestra, kanang principal mohangyo gyud na sila og mga pari, mag-exsorcise na sila ana, ilang pamisahan ingon aron magpray-over,” Bongalos said.
At least 10 students of the Jagna High School in Barangay Bunga Mar, Jagna were believed to have been possessed by evil spirits on Monday and Tuesday.
According to Jagna Councilor Anthony Aniscal, the hysteria started last Monday when six students began speaking gibberish.
Some of the students got angry when rosaries were hung around their necks.
Then the hysteria spread to four more students on Tuesday.
School administrators suspended classes at all levels on Wednesday due to the incident.
A mass was held in the morning while the affected children were taken to a Church in Jagna where they were prayed over.
According to Bongalos, there have been previous cases of alleged possession of evil spirits among students in other schools in Bohol including the Japer Memorial High School in Sagbayan and San Pascual Academy in Ubay.
The children affected by the incidents were subjected to a psycho-social debriefing.
“Daghan na mi na-encounter ingon-ana didto sa Sagbayan, motabang man nato ang community mahitungod ana, anahon man na sa among medical personnel estorya-estoryahaan kay basin psychologically nay laing nahitabo ba,” said Bongalos. (Rey Tutas)