Stress debriefing held for "possessed" students

 CEBU, Philippines - Seventeen students of the Jaclupan National High School who were reportedly possessed by evil spirits last Monday and Tuesday were made to undergo a stress debriefing yesterday conducted by the Department of the Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - 7.

The other 11 students who were also possessed were reportedly not yet ready to undergo a stress debriefing, said Benjamin Baruc.  Aside from the students, about 12 parents were also present at the Talisay City Hall where the debriefing was made by 11 social workers from the DSWD-7.

The students were divided into five groups and the parents were also divided into two groups.

Baruc explained that the target of the stress debriefing, which lasted for an hour and half, was the psycho-social aspect and not about the spiritual aspect.

This way, social workers could determine if the students need medical treatment or psychological therapy. Certain procedures will also be followed if students were found to have been acting unusually during the session.

The school principal, Maria Imelda Valde, was thankful that fear among students has subsided and they have started to go to their respective classes yesterday.  A novena mass was also held yesterday morning for the upcoming annual feast of the Virgin of Fatima on October 19.

The said possession started last Monday wherein 17 students were ‘attacked’ and 14 others were possessed the next day including a mother who was about to meet her daughter in school, and the other was a girl who tried to help her younger sister.

Students reportedly saw an old man, children, and a demon. They were taken to the Mary’s Little Children, a charismatic community in Barangay Tabunok, where a pray over session was made by the evangelizers and by Msgr. Frederick Kriekenbeek, official exorcist of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Kriekenbeek clarified that students were ‘attacked’ not because big trees inside the school were cut but because they lack confession and confirmation. However, psychology experts also claimed that what happened was mass hysteria.  (FREEMAN)