More than 10 teachers of the Argao Center for Science Learning Inc. in barangay Lamacan, Argao town underwent stress debriefing yesterday in the wake of the alleged “spirits” possession incident involving four students last Monday.
Chavez said the four students fell under a spell after reportedly performing a ritual they copied from the Internet. Chavez said the idea was allegedly introduced to them by a student from another school whom she declined to identify.
The school’s principal, Lia Chavez, said they decided to advance their semestral break to start yesterday, Oct. 28, to Nov. 5. The break was originally scheduled from Nov. 24 to 29.
“We need to come up with the interventions because of the incident that happened. We are on the planning stage,” Chavez said.
“So far the four students are now fine. No same incidents that happened again,” Chavez said.
A Mass held in the campus yesterday and was attended by teachers and parents.
The affected students will also undergo stress debriefings.
“We are looking for professionals to conduct stress debriefing,” Chavez said.
Most teachers were afraid to go to the toilet as they reportedly hear sounds of someone crying.
Ace Elevera, a missionary of the Youth for Christ who conducted the stress debriefing, said he let the teachers ventilate their fears and assured them that they have nothing to worry about the incident.
Elevera said the teachers may have been afraid of a sound which could have come from pigeons or a goat kept nearby. He said the four students could have suffered from either psychological or spiritual breakdown.
Carlos Chavez, husband of the school owner Leah Chavez, criticized the media for erroneously reporting that some teachers were also possessed.
Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, chief of the Argao Municipal Police Station, said he was ordered by Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, Cebu provincial police chief, to explain why he failed to submit a report on the incident.
Batobalonos said when he went to the school, he found the situation was not alarming to merit a report.