School admin denies 'demonic possession' rumors in Bontoc campus incident

BAGUIO CITY — The administration of Saint Vincent's School, Inc. (SVSI) in Bontoc, Mountain Province, clarified in a statement that there is no evidence of demonic possession or supernatural phenomena in the recent incident at one of its campuses, which had circulated on social media.

The statement came after a review and consultation with school and church authorities, alongside medical professionals from the Bontoc Municipal Health Office. The administration explained that the circumstances point to emotional contagion leading to mass psychogenic illness, a condition where heightened stress and anxiety spread through a group to cause real physical and emotional reactions.

The school administration also disclosed that the affected students received immediate medical attention and recovered on the same day. The school administration confirmed that ongoing care, counseling, and monitoring will be provided in cooperation with the students' families.

SVSI is appealing to the public, particularly Facebook content creators, to stop spreading unverified information and rumors that could cause further anxiety. They also acknowledged the local community elders' intention to participate in a cleansing and protective prayer process, and thanked various responding agencies, including the Municipal Health Office, Municipal Disaster Risk Response and Management Office, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Police for their assistance.