Yes, that is indeed the verb, but I hear it as "I absent myself" and I can't remember ever hearing it otherwise. Maybe in the USA it's already entered this category and then gone even further and influenced the pronunciation of the verb.

American English speaker here, born and raised in Dallas, Tx. The stress goes on the second syllable for the verb for me ("I absent myself").

I’m UK-based (English, specifically) and definitely hear it on the second syllable in that usage