Classes in Jagobiao National High School in Mandaue City were suspended after some of its students showed unusual behavior yesterday morning.

School principal Rufino Tudlasan said the incident started at past 8 a.m. when two female Grade 7 students experienced difficulty breathing and were crying.

They were brought to the principal’s office and were assisted by teachers.

After a few minutes, other students in the class and those from Grade 8 and 9 also showed similar behavior.

But Tudlasan said they cannot tell if the students were possessed by bad spirits, adding that they are still investigating the incident.

He added that maybe the students just failed to eat breakfast.

He also clarified that there were less than 10 female students affected by the unusual happening inside the school.

The students were calmed down at the principal’s office and were brought home by their parents.

To protect the other students, Tudlasan said he decided to suspend the classes of the entire school especially that worried parents went to school to fetch their children.

But Tudlasan said classes will be back to normal today because the school year is about to end.

They invited a priest to bless the school yesterday.

When some female students started to show unusual behavior, 14-year-old Grade 8 student Hope, one of the affected students, wasn’t convinced that they were possessed by evil spirits.

“Tuo man ka ana (Don’t believe it),” Hope (not her real name) told her younger sister Faith.

But when Hope entered her room, she suddenly fell down and became so strong.

Faith said Hope fell to the floor, shaking. Then, she knelt for a while and stood up.

Faith said Hope was immediately assisted by male students but she was so strong.

Faith ran towards home to inform their mother about the incident.

Hope’s mother was already calm and silent when she arrived at the school at around 11 a.m.

Hope could no longer remember what happened except that she felt she was about to pass out prior to the alleged “posssession.”

Her male classmates gave her salt and let her drink holy water brought by a church sacristan who earlier arrived when some students first showed unusual behavior.

Later, Hope told her sister Faith that she saw at least 4 spirits that possessed her.

Hope’s mother said she will let her report to school today because their final examination will be on the 17th and 18th but she will be in school to watch over her.

Her mother clarified that Hope had breakfast before going to school yesterday.