'Engkanto disco' goes viral as Boholanos spooked by mysterious drum beats
MANILA, Philippines — Mysterious sounds that seemed like beating drums have been haunting several villages in Bohol.
Last weekend, TV news magazine program "Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho" (KMJS) went viral online after featuring the drum-like sounds the show dubbed as "disco ng mga engkanto."
"Misteryosong tunog na nagtatambol, naririnig sa maraming bayan sa Bohol! Pero ang pinanggagalingan ng tunog, hindi matunton! Mula nga ba ito sa mga engkanto na diumano nagdiriwang dahil isang buhay na naman ang kinuha ng Kilab-Kilab Falls?" KMJS wrote.
Bohol residents posted on social media their curiosity regarding the sound.
"Malapit na alas onse sa gabi? San kaya ang nagdidisco ngayon? Ilang gabi na to. Saang bahay kaya ito?" a Facebook user wrote.
"Yung tunog mamangha ka talaga. Hindi siya usual na disco iba-iba yung beat. Wala talagang boses ng tao," another user wrote.
Even soldiers and police officers attested that there are no disco houses in the area where the sounds were heard. Since Bohol is still under modified general community quarantine, social gatherings are still not allowed, making the loud sounds more mysterious.
"Malakas yung tunog. Parang may nagtatambol. Maririnig ng halos apat o limang barangay. Wala namang beerhouse dito. Walang disco," a police officer told KMJS.
One resident, meanwhile, said that the mysterious sounds began when the Kilab-Kilab Falls was developed.
"Wala sanang namatay kung hindi na-develop ang Kilab-Kilab Falls. Ngayong nag-develop na, sinemento ang kalsada, diyan na nagumpisa na may kinukuhang tao. Kaya siguro sila masaya at nagdidiwang dahil may nakuha silang bayad -- isang tao," the resident alleged.
The sounds were last heard early this month following the death of a female local, who went to the falls with friends and relatives just to take pictures.
According to her companions, the water in the falls unexpectedly rose and pulled them in. The victim knew how to swim, so they were surprised that she drowned, while others who did not know how to swim were rescued or survived. The drum beats were heard three days after the lady's wake.
Passed-on tradition has it that the drums were made by "engkantos" or supernatural beings living in the falls to celebrate their feat of taking a life.
