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‘Spirits possess’ 21 studes; elders perform tribal rite
By Mike Guimbatan Jr.

TUBLAY, Benguet – Bad spirits possessed 21 female high school students here July 25, apparently angered by the construction of a school building in the school compound.

The 21 students of Tublay School of Home Industries passed out one after the other for no apparent reason in the morning until 3 p.m. of same day.

"The students passed out and remained unconscious for a long time. Two of them became hysterical," said councilor Ericson Felipe who witnessed the unusual event.
Local folk pointed to the demolition of an old school building to pave the way for a new concrete building costing R4 million as the cause of the spiritual phenomenon.
Some parents suggested the holding of native ritual to appease the spirits but this was opposed by Catholic parish priest Fr. Benny Villapa who said that the people should not yield to whatever the unseen want.

The students regained consciousness after a little rest, it was learned.

Policemen who responded to the incident said it was a case of "possession by evil spirits." "It is a mere mass hypnosis," said Father Felipe who also said that a similar situation occurred in the municipalities of Kibungan and Bakun, both in Benguet.

A similar disturbance caused by unfriendly spirits occurred in July 2007 at the Tuba National High School-Extension in Tuba, Benguet.

The Tuba spirit possession was a manifestation of an opposition to the construction of a two-storey school building that disturbed the unseen.

At least 16 female students turned hysterical for no apparent reason. The students who were affected had undergone counseling as the Church prayed for them before they regained consciousness.

Elders of Tuba held an indigenous ritual to appease the spirits by butchering a pig, a dog, and native chicken in the school premises.

Spirit possession like those in Tublay and Tuba high schools can be prevented, said a pastor of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

Pastor Christopher Alegoyojo said there are evil sprits everywhere and they follow a pattern of disturbing high school students, mostly females.

The reason, he said, is that high school students are still in the stage of soul searching and are prone to worldly exposures.

Most women in that stage are weaker, and so there is need for spiritual guidance. Alegoyojo, recently assigned as an outreach UCCP pastor at Kennon Road, this city, admitted he has been driving away evil spirits from possessed teenagers, mostly females.

It is the individual’s faith in Jesus Christ that wards off evil spirits, he added.