Victims rushed to hospitals, churches: ‘Spirits’ go on rampage;Tabuk residents in fear

By Glo Abaeo Tuazon

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Residents here were struck with fear when many high school pupils of Tabuk National High School were reportedly “possessed” by spirits last week.

One by one the students reportedly started getting into trances so uncontrollable that school officials had to suspend classes on Jan. 22 when the strange phenomenon did not stop.

Some of the more than 20 students were taken to hospitals and then to the church where they were put into vigilant watch by their relatives, school and church personnel.

Gov. Floydelia Diazen and Mayor Camilo Lammawin of Tabuk City also went to the school to see for themselves.

It was chaos as the school and church went into disarray and fear and with people filling up every church pew.

The pupils started seeing and feeling paranormal events since last year and it was that day when the spirits first made their presence felt, officials said.

A municipal councilor who requested anonymity, said one of the spirits, a woman, told those present, through a possessed student, that she and a host of 11 other spirits were displaced with the ongoing construction inside the school where they had stayed for a long time.

The spirits reportedly asked to be prayed over and candles lit for them which the people did.

Candles were burned and offered along with the prayers and some white chicken feathers. That was when it stopped just as suddenly as it started.

There were also reports that in the hospital where some pupils were taken, some paranormal events happened. A student who was supposedly lying down on a hospital cot levitated.

A few months ago last year, a similar incident happened in a school in Tublay, Benguet.

This reportedly prompted discussions of religion, beliefs among residents in re-evaluating faith in connection with culture.