'Black figure' causes hysteria in Danao City

Seeing an open-mouthed black figure brought 13 female students from Obaldo Iway Memorial National High School in Barangay Cambanay, Danao City into mass hysteria last Thursday.

Provincial Health Office Rene Catan said that the students, who are mostly grades 8 and 9, saw a black figure inside their classroom, comfort room and hallways.

"Nakakita kuno sila og figure nga itom, nga gatindog unya ga abli ang baba. Unya nakadungog sila naay gisulti nga nganong inyo man na gisunog ang akong balay, ibalik na sya," Catan explained.

The students reportedly got frightened with the unexplained black figure, then they stiffened and went through hyperventilation.

According to one of the students, there was a huge Balete tree at the back of their school, which was cut off and was replaced with a new classroom.

The students were rushed to the hospital after the incident.

The story brought fear to the students which created a "mass hysteria," according to Catan.

"I think ang mass hysteria nag start tungod kay naay tipping point sa story," he said.

"Pananglitan kita dinhi, mao ni storya unya fearful kaayo ta, naa lang nisulti nga nakakita ko, or siguro emotionally naa sya problem, ni-project sya ato and then suddenly everyone tungod atong story nag exist naman sa grupo, so nibuto silang tanan dayon nanggawas. And so ang projection siguro ato nila at the time nga heightened ilang fear, probably sa ilang mind mao gyud to sila," Catan added.

Last week, there were also reports on students experiencing mass hysteria in the towns of Argao and Ronda.