Kwento Ni Toto: Updates

2026/05/30

‘Backrooms’ Brings Jump Scares That Feel Real and a Horror Experience That Pulls You In

Marco Polo Demo 5/30/2026 10:53:00 PM

Horror movies often try to scare viewers. Backrooms does something a little different. It does not just try to scare you from a distance, it tries to make you feel like you are inside the fear itself.

After watching the advance screening at SM Megamall, one thing stood out clearly: this film knows exactly when to hit you with a jump scare, and more importantly, it makes those moments feel earned rather than forced.

Based on the viral internet creepypasta, Backrooms brings to life the unsettling idea of accidentally slipping into an endless maze of empty, liminal spaces. But what makes the film effective is not just the concept, it is how it executes the experience of being trapped.

From the start, the movie builds tension slowly, almost patiently. It lets silence sit too long. It lets empty rooms feel too wide. It lets footsteps echo just a little more than what is comfortable. And just when the viewer starts adjusting to that rhythm, it breaks it.

That is where the jump scares land.

They are not overused, and they are not random. Instead, they come at moments where the audience has already started lowering their guard. That timing makes them feel sharper and more impactful. There were moments where the entire theater reacted at the same time—not because the film shouted at the audience, but because it quietly built up pressure until it snapped.

What is impressive is how the film manages to let viewers experience what the characters are going through. The sense of disorientation is not just shown—it is felt. The camera work, sound design, and pacing work together to create a feeling of being lost inside something that does not make sense.

You are not just watching someone walk through endless hallways. You start to feel like you are walking with them.

Another strong point is how the movie balances its scares without relying too much on heavy visual effects or excessive prosthetics. Instead of overloading the screen with digital monsters or constant CGI chaos, Backrooms leans into suggestion. It uses shadows, movement in the distance, and sudden changes in sound to trigger fear.

This choice actually makes the horror more believable. When something finally appears—or even when something almost appears—it hits harder because the film has already trained the viewer to fear what they cannot fully see.

There is also a grounded, almost physical quality to the film’s environment. The set design feels tangible, as if those walls and hallways could actually exist somewhere forgotten. This adds to the immersion. It does not feel like a digital creation. It feels like a place you could accidentally end up in.

And that is where the film succeeds most.

It makes the audience share the same discomfort as the characters: confusion, anticipation, and that constant feeling that something might be just around the corner.

The experience is stressful in a controlled way. It keeps the audience alert, almost like they are waiting for something they cannot fully prepare for. And yet, even in those tense moments, there is a strange curiosity that keeps you watching.

What makes Backrooms stand out in modern horror is its restraint. It does not try to overwhelm the viewer. It does not rely on nonstop chaos. Instead, it builds a rhythm of silence, tension, and sudden impact that feels more personal than theatrical.

It is not just a movie you watch.

It is a movie you react to.

Backrooms premieres on June 3. If you are expecting a typical horror film, this might not be it. But if you want something that makes you feel the tension, the silence, and the sudden fear of the unknown, then this film delivers exactly that.

Just be ready—because the scares do not come often, but when they do, they feel uncomfortably close.

2026/05/29

Updates

EJK Truth Commission Launches to Document Killings, Seek Accountability

Marco Polo Demo 5/29/2026 10:12:00 PM

Nearly a decade after the surge of drug war-related killings in the Philippines, a new civilian-led body has been formed to document stories, gather facts, and help preserve the truth behind thousands of deaths linked to extrajudicial killings and related abuses.

The EJK Truth Commission was formally launched on May 27, 2026, with the goal of creating a credible public record of these incidents while giving victims’ families and survivors a safe space to be heard.

The commission is being convened under the guidance of Cardinal Pablo “Ambo” David, who will serve as adviser and moral guide for the group. According to the commission, his role is to help protect the integrity, independence, and mission of the body, especially when it comes to truth-seeking, due process, survivor protection, confidentiality, and public trust.

Leading the commission as chairman is Atty. Raul Pangalangan, who also serves as Commissioner for Legal Affairs and Due Process. Joining him are Dr. Raquel Barros del Rosario-Fortun for Forensic Sciences and Independent Investigation, Dr. Al Fuertes for Psychosocial Support and Trauma Healing, Fr. Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, CM, for Church and Education, Truth Literacy, and Institutional Reform, and Carlos Conde for Public Documentation, Transparency, and Democratic Accountability. Conde will also act as executive director of the commission.

For many Filipinos, especially families who lost loved ones during the height of the anti-drug campaign, the launch of the commission is another step toward finally having their stories acknowledged. While violence linked to drug operations existed even before 2016, the commission noted that the scale and persistence of the killings in recent years left deep wounds across communities nationwide.

“This is not about replacing the courts or assigning guilt,” Pangalangan said. “It is about building a credible truth record that can guide accountability, healing, reform, and the prevention of future violence.”

One of the commission’s major efforts will be the holding of Public Truth Hearings. Depending on the safety and consent of participants, these hearings may be public, semi-public, closed-door, anonymized, or represented through selected testimonies.

Unlike courtroom proceedings, the hearings will follow non-adversarial and survivor-centered rules. The goal is to document lived experiences, identify patterns of violence, and better understand the social impact of the killings in a respectful and safe environment.

Participants may include victims, survivors, families, witnesses, community leaders, academics, researchers, faith-based groups, civil society organizations, and members of the media.

The commission also plans to prepare evidence-based recommendations and referral-ready reports for agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and NAPOLCOM, while maintaining its independence from government control.

Periodic reports are expected every six months and will be submitted to Congress, NAPOLCOM, the Office of the President, and other concerned institutions. A final report will also be released at the end of the commission’s tenure, with public access subject to privacy and confidentiality rules.

“The truth must be protected not only as a matter of record, but as a matter of dignity for the families who have carried these stories for years,” Cardinal David said. “The EJK Truth Commission exists so these stories can be heard, verified, preserved, and acted upon.”

In a country where many families are still searching for answers, the work of the commission may become more than just documentation. For some, it could also become part of the long and difficult journey toward healing, one story, one testimony, and one truth at a time.

As we often say here at Kwento Ni Toto, behind every headline is a human story waiting to be heard.