BAD NEWS: LAPU-LAPU DIDN'T KNOW KALI, DIDN'T KILL MAGELLAN

Below are two excellent, well-researched articles by two Filipinos about Eskrima/Arnis that try to discard the heaps of bullcrap that many Filipino teachers in social studies, in local history, and even in said martial art, still propagate even up to this day and age:

1. That the ten Bornean datus who allegedly escaped the tyranny of one Datu Makatunaw of Borneo, and sailed to the island of Aninipay (which is said to be the present-day island of Panay in Western Visayas), brought with them an ancient blade-based martial art known as Kali;

2. That Kali was therefore a pre-Hispanic martial art and is the progenitor of Eskrima/Arnis;

3. That Kali was the traditional martial art in which Lapu-Lapu and his compatriots were experts, and they used it to defeat Magellan and his heavily-armored men.

THE ORIGINS OF ESKRIMA
By Dr. Ned Nepangue

We can only make a guess as to the origin of Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada since there are no conclusive written records available in the archives to assist us in our research (that is, if we are really serious about this).

Earlier writings did mentioned in passing, something regarding pre-Hispanic martial arts in the islands.

But we should remember this, that the earliest Europeans who visited the islands did not know the native languages, were not familiar about the native culture at the time, were ethnocentrists, and were in the Orient primarily to look for spices and not to do research on martial arts.

Nobody can really say what kind of martial art these early travelers saw (if that was truly a martial art) when they first came that summer.

We cannot even say that it was Kali they saw, since they were not familiar about martial arts (like Don F. Draeger, Robert W. Smith, or Mark V. Wiley).

Let us also take note that during those times, there was no unified form of government and people were not hooked in the Internet.

People in the archipelago then (and this is still true until today) speak many languages, thus what was true in the island of Panay then, was not necessarily true in the nearby islands of Cebu or Samar.

Forcing ourselves to believe that Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada is something pre-Hispanic even without enough proof to support the theory is not advisable.

We only have the following objective facts to help us prove or disprove the current theory of the origin of the Eskrima or Arnis.

No written records available, which describes what this allegedly pre-Hispanic martial art of Kali really was and there is no evidence to prove that Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada martial arts are related to the art of Kali.

Earlier writings mentioned how good those early natives were in hand-to-hand combat.

These early European adventurers were maybe accurate in their appraisals since they were soldiers/fighters themselves and knew what was good form and what was not.

But still the same, these available literatures do not give us details as to what Kali really was.

So Kali can be everything, it can be stone throwing, wild boar hunting, yo-yo playing, etc.

Fact 2

Research found out that the natives in the islands before the Europeans came used shields and spears, weapons that are no longer visible in the majority of the contemporary Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada schools.

If it is true that Kali is the martial art practice by the ancient warriors in the islands then it must have included the use of the tameng or shield and the bangkaw or spear.

Since the art of Eskrima/Arnis is derived from Kali as some suggested, then it must have these weapons included in the curriculum.

Tameng is still useful even in the modern times; in fact, riot police are still using this contraption to control angry crowds.

Spears, on the other hand, are still found in many other martial arts.

Fact 3

The claims that historical personalities like Lapu-Lapu, Tupas, and others were really into Kali or Eskrima remained unproven.

Some so-called authorities of Filipino martial arts (FMA) always associate names like that of Lapu-Lapu to Eskrima, as if they were around already in 1500s.

The funny fact is they could not even provide name(s) of who's who in the latter years (in the 1600s, 1700, 1800s) to strengthen their claims.

How one could claim he is the great-great grandson of the great Mr. So-And-So if he does not even know who his biological father is?

Fact 4

All Eskrima/Arnis styles share more common traits than differences.

The Filipino stick fighting in many ways is really different compared to other stick fighting systems in the region.

The Eskrima styles as practiced by many Ilocanos in the far north of the archipelago are basically familiar to the styles found in the south, in the Visayas.

There maybe differences in some expressions but generally speaking they are the same.

Fact 5

Practically all Eskrima systems/styles are practiced only in the Christianized groups (or those who are under the direct influence of the Spanish conquistadors for 333 years), and that no known Eskrima system/style is found among those peoples in the hinterlands of Luzon, among the Lumad and the Muslims in Mindanao.

The Spanish colonized the islands for 333 years, but they were not able to convert the entire population to the Christian faith.

There were many ethnic groups left who were not directly controlled and influenced by them.

Many of these groups are slowly assimilated still retain many of their pre-Hispanic practices.

But if the theory is true that Eskrima and the like is something originally pre-Hispanic, then at least one of these many tribal groups could show us sampling of a functional Eskrima-like stick fighting art, but there is none.

Fact 6

A link between Kali and Silat styles is yet to be proven, both are really different in form and substance.

Many creative Eskrimadors want to have this "Moro motif" integrated to their styles.

In actuality, Eskrima/Arnis has nothing to do with the Muslim groups in the south who have their own very beautiful and lethal martial art of Silat.

Many people foolishly attempted to establish link between the two, but until now they could not provide us enough evidence.

In books and articles on Eskrima, they always include stories about juramentado just to add dramatic effect, but in reality all of these, has nothing to do with Eskrima/Arnis.

Some insist that some of these Muslim tribes do practice some form of Kali art. But if we inquire what tribe is that, they could not readily give answer.

Some say it is in Sulu, but if we ask further which part of Sulu? Again there is no clear answer.

Since the 70s, when this claim first appeared, and until now nobody can really give the correct answer.

Why?

Well, the truth of the matter is, there is no Kali in the Moroland.

Just a pure fantasy.

Is it possible to invent stories and fool the martial arts community?

You bet!

If you are familiar with the story of the Neolithic they reportedly found in Mindanao called Tasaday, you will easily understand how/why.

In Eskrima/Arnis, emphasis is on weaponry first then unarmed fighting later, but in Silat they have the weapons training only later.

Fact 7

About 65% of technical terms used in all Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada styles developed and propagated by many linguistically diverse ethnic groups are of Spanish origin.

The Spanish language was never totally adapted by the Filipinos unlike those in other former colonies of the North and South America.

This was because the colonial authorities in the Philippines did not encourage the natives to learn the language.

For three centuries, only the elite and the educated could speak and write the Spanish language.

A strange fact is, a great percentage of technical terms used in Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada (and even the supposedly pre-Hispanic Kali styles) are in Spanish, the language most Filipinos then (and now) did not speak.

This is also the language used by the authorities who outlawed the practice and propagation of this native martial art.

If the practitioners at that time were forced to practice in hiding, then why did they not use their own respective languages and dialects instead of using Spanish?

Fact 8

The connection between Kali and Indonesian martial art of Tjakalele is not yet proven.

Tjakalele is practically just a war dance originated in the Mollucas.

It uses spears and shields, the weapons, which are not found in 99% of Kali schools.

Words like Kali and Tjakalele may sound familiar and related but this not proves anything that both are actually related.

Fact 9

The suggestion that Kali is the root word of some words found in different Filipino languages and dialects is not based on linguistics, in fact a study on this claim is yet to be made.

Important pre-Hispanic household words like diwata, Bathala, datu, ulipon are still understood by many and this same is also true with words associated with the warriors, like bangkaw, baraw, tameng.

So what is supposed to be the ancient name for the Filipino martial art? Kali?

If it is Kali then, why don't we find this word in dictionaries of the different Filipino languages and dialects?

In fact, this particular word was just "re-introduced" years ago.

Kali is never a traditional name for the native martial art.

If one goes to a secluded place in Cebu, for example, and ask those Eskrima old-timers there if they know what is Kali, the will probably say they don't know. And these people are supposed to know better.

Fact 10

The earliest technical description about Eskrima/Arnis was available only lately.

The very first known book available in public was Placido Yambao's book in 1957.

Fact 11

Many modalities in Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada techniques like espada y daga are also found in European fencing arts.

Fact 12

The once Spanish colony of Venezuela in far away South America also has its own form of stick fighting.

The Garrote Larense stick fighting art of Venezuela reminds one of Eskrima.

There must be a connection between these two martial arts somewhere and further research is needed.

Fact 13

It is baseless to say that Eskrima and Arnis are just phases of the natural evolution of Kali; that is, Kali being the original form, Eskrima and Arnis the modern and diluted equivalents.

Kali that we can see today doesn't differ from Eskrima/Arnis.

Some say that Kali is on blades while Eskrima/Arnis more on sticks implying that Kali is more combative, realistic and original form while Eskrima/Arnis as sanitized intended for sports.

But in places where the word Kali is not the traditional term used, the Eskrima/Arnis also included the practice of the bladed weapons.

In fact, many of those who categorize their styles as Kali were actually derived from Eskrima/Arnis styles.

Fact 14

There is no lack of good blacksmiths and is not the reason why many Eskrima/Arnis fighters use sticks now instead of real blades.

Many good Eskrimadors are not found in areas known for their machete-making skills.

Many panday or sword smiths do not know Eskrima and it is never mentioned in the Philippine history that Philippines were running out of bolos.

Fact 15

That the theory proposed is actually not corroborated in the works of the experts of the Philippine history, anthropology and sociology.

Intertribal war was a reality especially before the islands became a colony of Spain.

When there is war, there are warriors, weapons, and military arts.

If Kali was a military art, then history books in high school and college must mention it.

I do not remember reading a word Kali in our history books when I was still in high school and college, instead in our world history I read words like samurai, katana, etc.

Books of anthropology must also provide details about it.

It is not mentioned, not because historians are not interested, it is simply because there is no sufficient information about it.

So, basing on the aforementioned facts, we can only offer logical comments as to the possible origin of the contemporary Filipino martial arts (a bigger portion of which is the Eskrima/Arnis/Estocada/Kali).

It is basically a product of Filipino creativity and no doubt whatsoever, it is very Filipino.

The bulk of its repertoire was developed during Spanish colonial times, and plausibly it got its inspiration from European fencing concepts and practices.

It was greatly developed and refined (and the evolution still continues) only here in the islands of the Philippines.

NEW THEORIES ON THE ORIGINS OF ESKRIMA
By Celestino C. Macachor

Regional ethnic pride seems to be the biggest obstacle in acquiring an unbiased historically correct account on the origins and evolution of Eskrima.

The Ilonggos in West Visayas insist on the story of the ten datus of Borneo that is widely believed to have brought with them an ancient form of bladed combat known as Kali.

Congruent to the theory on Kali as the progenitor of Eskrima/Arnis are the hoaxes and fabrications on the Code of Maragtas and Kalantiaw.

In his article Maragtas and Kalantiaw: History, Legend, or Fraud?, Paul Morrow wrote:

"How do historians know about events which, according to them, occurred before there were Spaniards in the Philippines while there are almost no known authentic written documents from that era? Much of what we know about the pre-Hispanic era came to us through legends. These are stories that were not written but were spoken by each generation to the following generation. Legends change with each telling because often the teller's memory is weak or mistaken- or the teller just wants to make additions to the story to spice it up. Legends are usually nothing more than stories about the creation of the world, the first man and woman and such. It is easy to see that they are not meant to be regarded as fact. However, there are some legends which do contain a kernel of truth."

There is a kernel of truth in the story of the ten datus of Borneo that reach the island of Panay during pre-Hispanic times.

However, the presumption that the ten datus' sphere of influence spread throughout the Visayas lacks merit in the light of a research in 1968 made by historian William Henry Scott that exposed author Jose Marco's fabrication on the story of Fr. Jose Maria Pavon, the supposed discoverer of the Code of Maragtas.

Scott further revealed in his book Pre-Hispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History:

"Jose E. Marco's contributions to Philippine historiography… appear to be deliberate fabrications with no historic validity. There is therefore no present evidence that any Filipino ruler by the name of Kalantiaw ever existed or that the Kalantiaw penal code is any older than 1914."

Unsettling as it may be for some Filipino ethnic group, but with the advent of information revolution, as quickly as it is to spread lies and fabrications it is also as quick to debunk them with serious hard work, patience, methodical research, and a passion for historical accuracy.

Such is the story of the First Mass in the island of Limasawa, Leyte that until the overthrow of Marcos and to appease her flamboyant First Lady, a native of Leyte, was taken as irrefutable historical fact written in textbooks and taught in all our schools.

There is now an overwhelming archaeological/documentary evidence presented by credible historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists of Agusan del Norte that proves the First Mass was in fact celebrated in Masau, the present-day Butuan City.

Like the Limasawa story, Philippine history is replete with fake stories and fantasies concocted by self-serving politicians, especially the ruling elite of the Manila and other vested interest groups. This will go on while there are still scams like the textbook bribery scandal in 1998 involving Mary Ann Maslog.

Finding physical/archaeological evidence to determine the exact origins of the Filipino martial arts is a very remote possibility, nevertheless, we can collate a wealth of information from the academe and other reliable sources to piece together our theory that:

Theory 1

Contrary to popular belief that it is pre-Hispanic, Eskrima/Arnis/Estokada is a relatively new martial art and did not precede the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and developed mainly in the coastal towns of Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol, Negros, Leyte, Panay, and coastal towns of Luzon like Pangasinan and Pampanga that became a favorite predatory ground for marauding Moro pirates.

From a retreating and defensive mode, the early Visayans shifted strategies that once relied on cottas to more aggressive offensive tactics.

Extracted from Cebu in Legend and History by Evangeline Lavilles de Paula and Angel in Stone by Fr. Pedro G. Galende are these stories:

1.1 Moalboal - Southwest Cebu Coast

This story is probably the first historical account on the use of canes and Latin oracion against Moro invaders and the significant contribution of Bohol style Eskrima to the Cebuano martial arts.

Again, I would like to reiterate that the writers belong to the mainstream academe and were in no way involved in the research of Filipino martial arts history.

"Oral tradition relates that Boholano pioneers founded the town of Moalboal. A substantiation of this contention is that its leading families--the Gadors, Cabarons, Bableras, Redobles, and many more--came from Bohol. Another fact is that many residents, especially the older ones, still speak with Boholano accent.

"The first Boholano to settle in the town was Laurente Sabanal. He was captured by the Spaniards in Bohol for having killed a guardia civil. But he later escaped on a rowboat to Cebu. He chose Moalboal as his new home, having found the land fertile and the sea abundant with fish. He lived alone for a while, but he later returned to his native town and brought back with him his family and some relatives to emigrate to his new-found home. Expectedly, he became the ruler of the settlement.

"The Muslims also directed their raids at Moalboal, being already a prosperous settlement. But led by Sabanal, the inhabitants successfully repulsed the invaders. They attributed their victory to Sabanal's oracion. When he died, it is said that he was buried by the shore marked by his magic cane. To this day, a part of it could still be seen. In his honor, the people named a street along the shore."

 

1.2 Spanish Period - Bantayan Islands

Kinatarcan Island, which belongs to the Bantayan group of islands, is the birthplace of GM Floro Villabrille and GM Antonio Ilustrisimo.

A colleague, Juris Fernandez, who comes from Doong Island, told us about his great grandfather Tata Lucio Pastor who is one of the longest living Eskrimador of the island.

Tata Lucio Pastor, who lived up to 106 years old, used bakhaw, a fire-hardened wood cut from mangroves as fighting stick.

The lineage of Tata Lucio Pastor's Eskrima is untraceable but the fact remains that his Eskrima is indigenous to the island of Doong and that it was probably developed to repulse superior weaponry and martial skills.

The parish of Bantayan was then under the direct control and supervision of the archdiocese of Manila.

Fr. de Ocampos then, built a church made of nipa and bamboo.

This church was put on torch by the Moro raiders in 1600, when, according to Blair and Robertson, some 800 Bantayanons were taken as captive and sold as slaves to rich Mindanao Muslims.

A second church was again erected and was again put on fire by the marauding Moros.

The stone church as we now see is the third church erected.

Construction of this church began on 1839 and completed on year 1863.

It was Fr. Doroteo Andrada del Rosario who built this church with a tall belfry and tall walls that surround the plaza.

Fr. Del Rosario, being aware of the Moro attacks, built several lookout towers.

The towers were located at Balwarte (Suba, Bantayan), Doong Island, Bantigue, Kabac, Daan Patio (Madridejos),  Kaongkod (Madridejos), Tamiao, Ocoy (Sta. Fe), Cota (Sta. Fe), and Sulangan.

Of these towers, only Bantigue and Sulangan have no ruins.

To serve as signal of the incoming attack, each tower is equipped with virso (a canon-like cylinder wherein explosives were set to make a very loud noise).

If one tower sees the incoming invaders, it would make a signal.

The next tower, upon hearing the signal, would in turn fire their virso and so with the next towers, a chain explosion is achieved until the signal would reach the town proper.

The church bells would then peal to warn the populace about the incoming attack and prepare for the said attack while the old people, women, and children are cloistered to the confines of the tall walls surrounding the church.

1.3 Pilar, Camotes Island, Cebu

The next story from Lavilles de Paula recalls another vivid historical account on the use of strategy and martial arts against marauding Moro pirates and probably the importation Leyte Eskrima to Cebu:

"In search for a better place to live in, a family from Cabalian, Leyte crossed the Visayan sea to a nearby island and they became the nucleus of a settlement in Cebu which grew into a town. Solferino Borinaga was attracted by the fertile soil and the rich fishing grounds of a place called Palawan. It was so named as there was a spring (Palawan in the dialect) in the area. He brought his wife Alejandra and son Martin. Since life seemed much better in their new home, Solferino went back to his native town and encouraged his relatives and friends to immigrate to Palawan. A group--about ten families--went with him. Together, they organized into a barrio.

"The inhabitants--prosperous as they were--were objects of forays by Moro pirates. Discovering the new colony, the Muslims would raid and seize properties, food, and even people. But Solferino Borinaga was an exceptional leader, not only good in organizing, but an expert in the art of battle. Together with only a few men, they did not only defend their village successfully, but they also mounted offensive attacks on the veteran sea warriors, fighting them face to face. Surprisingly defeated, the Moros fled and never disturbed the village again.

"News of unprecedented victory over the Moros spread and soon many went to Palawan to settle there permanently. It grew into a town and quite naturally, it was Solferino Borinaga who was its first capitan."

1.4 Ronda - South of Cebu, Only 5km From Moalboal

"Huluyaw was the former name of Ronda. The name may have come from the name of a banana plant huluyaw, which grew abundantly along the banks of the settlement. It could have originated also according to a popular legend, from incidents when pirates from Jolo would plunder this southern village to loot and run away with properties and kidnap natives, who would be heard shouting "Jolo, ayaw!" (Jolo, don't!).

"During World War II, the Ronda-Alcantara (87th Infantry Regiment of the resistance movement) was organized in the town, which also became its stronghold."

Theory 2

The province of Cebu stretching from Bantayan Islands in the north to Santander in the south became the focal point in the development of Eskrima and that its development and tactical use outlived the Moro raiders.

The art of Eskrima was also effective against Spanish and American colonizers and also against the Japanese invaders.

More heroic stories about the coastal towns of Cebu from Evangeline Lavilles de Paula's book, Cebu in Legend and History:

2.1 Badian - A Heroic Struggle Of A Small Town Against Three Foreign Invaders

"Badian is a town well-sheltered from natural elements like typhoons and floods. It has high mountains protecting it and it is located on elevated spot. The strategic position also served the people as protection from Moro raids during the olden times.

"As was a practice of early inhabitants to associate and subsequently name their place after a plant, or animal, or a natural formation. Badian was also named after a plant abounding in its locality called badyang. Finding it hard to pronounce, they shortened it to Badian, with its Anglicized spelling.

"Badian was the site of a number of historic battles. During the Filipino-American war in 1898, a fierce encounter occurred at Barrio Bugas. Filipino freedom fighters led by Col. Hilano Aliño inflicted heavy casualties on the American forces. It was also in Badian where the nucleus of the resistance movement of southern Cebu during the World War II was formed by Sgts. Gregorio Sungcad, Torquato Antiporta, Geronimo Dacillo, and others.

"Badian was the scene of many clashes between guerilla forces and Japanese invaders. In retaliation, many innocent civilians were massacred by Japanese soldiers who raided barrio Manay-as on August 17, 1944."

2.2 Aloguinsan - Where The First Successful Rout Of Moro Invaders
By Cebuano Natives Probably Took Place

"Bulwarte, a historic landmark, still stands as a mute testimony to the courage of the early inhabitants of Aloguinsan. Because of the frequent Moro attacks, the natives, under the supervision of Spaniards, constructed a watchtower on top of a hill at the mouth of a river. From this vantage point, they could see incoming Moro vintas.

"One night (it was a full moon, and the winds were favorable), the Muslim invaders approached the village. With old people, women, and children safe behind the hills, the men began firing their cannons and did not stop until the pirates were annihilated. It was the end of Moro assaults.

"The historic hill of Villona between the barrios of Olango and Cawasan was also the site of a battle between the American forces and Filipino revolutionists. The rebels under the leadership of Anastacio de la Cruz encountered the forces of Lt. Walker on Holy Thursday on April 1903. Lt. Walker and a number of his men were killed. The following day, Good Friday, Lt. McCoy took over the command of the American troops and outfought the Pulahanes (the rebels because of their red headbands were known as such) who were defeated.

"The courage and patriotism of the Aloguinsan were again tested in World War II. Guerillas from the place stubbornly and fiercely resisting Japanese invaders in barrio Konguigon resulted in the death of many Japanese soldiers. The enemy retaliated by killing many civilians, including babies."

Theory 3

Arnis in Luzon, particulary in the province of Pampanga, blossomed at the same time as Eskrima in the Visayas during the administration of Governor-General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera.

3.1 The Filipino Martial Arts That We Know Today Was A Deadly Chemistry of Macabebe, Cebuano, Ilonggo, and Other Visayan Martial Arts

These diverse ethnic groups became brothers in arms and their meticulous recruitment by the Spaniards was intended to match the skills of the Moro warriors.

The only bridge to a cultural and language barrier among this mixture of Visayans and Kapampangans was their mutual hatred of Moros and the cross-pollination of combat skills.

Chapter 9 of Vic Hurley's Swish of the Kris recalls accurately the recruitment of Pampango, Cebuano and Ilonggo conscripts during the administration of Governor-General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera to fight against the Moros of Sulu.

Hurley credited Corcuera as the most successful governor-general during the Spanish colonial period to have successfully contained the Moros of Sulu.

Some of Chapter 9's Corcuera and Almonte excerpts are here to support our theory:

"After due preparation, an expeditionary force under the command of Captain Juan de Chaves landed at Zamboanga on April 6, 1635. There de Chaves founded the town of Bagumbayan, which was the first name for Zamboanga, and from this station he soon reduced the towns of Caldera and Balvagan.

"After Captain de Chaves' force of 300 well-armed Spaniards and 1000 Visayans had cleared the peninsula temporarily of hostile Moros, the construction of one of the finest forts in the East was put into execution. On June 23, 1635, the foundations of the grand fortress of Nuestra Senora del Pilar was laid by Father Vera, engineer of the Spanish army."

The year 1635 had witnessed the arrival in Manila of a very efficient governor-general and a perfect soldier.

The coming of Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera marked a period of success for the Spanish arms which was not to be equaled again until the mighty soldier Juan Arolas arrived 250 years later.

Whatever Corcuera's emotions as he gazed down the valley to the horde of brown kris men waiting to resist him, there can be no question as to his valor.

At a flourish of a mailed fist, the Spanish plumes disappeared into the wave of Moros.

We are indebted to Father Crevas for an account of this campaign. From him we learn that Corcuera, with a squadron of small vessels and a dozen flat boats, entered the river, defying Correlat.

"The forces which he had were five companies; his own of 150 men, those of Captain Nicholas Gonzalez and Lorenzo Orella de Ugalde of 100 men each; another company of sailors; another of Pampangos; all the rest were rabble and pioneers. The same day he reached the river, he entered, with seventy men, the court of Correlat, defended by more than two thousand armed Moros."

As we consider the caliber of the men who opposed Corcuera that day, we wonder how he kept his small company from being overwhelmed.

The Spaniards had arquebuses, but they were slow and laborious to reload.

A great deal of the combat must have been hand-to-hand.

Pitched to religious fervor, a Moro was the equal to any Spaniard in hand-to-hand battle, and yet Corcuera survived to win a brilliant victory.

Corcuera remains as one of the conspicuous figures of the Spanish conquest of Mindanao. He was a perfect soldier.

His reward for distinguished service in the field against the Moros was paralleled by the treatment Cortez and Balboa received at the hands of the Spanish crown.

During his term of office as governor-general of the Philippines (1635-1644), he incurred the displeasure of the friars, and upon being succeeded by Diego Fajardo, he was haled into court, fined, and thrown into prison for five years.

He was finally released by a royal order and given the tardy award of governor of the Canary Islands.

Ned Nepangue in a previous article wrote of the stick fighting arts of Canary Islands and Venezuela that are closely similar in technical form to Eskrima/Arnis.

Who could have introduced stick fighting in the Canary Islands?

From the historical facts above, we can surmise that Corcuera, during his administration of the Canary Islands could have brought along with him trusted alalays (cronies) that probably cross trained with native Filipinos during his Mindanao campaign.

3.2 Reynaldo Galang's Book Complete Sinawali

From another source, Complete Sinawali by Reynaldo Galang, he wrote:

"A royal decree in 1636 ordered the 'pacification' of the island of Mindanao. Two large companies composed of mainly Pampangans and Visayans were part of the force led by Governor-General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera. This force traveled aboard eleven large vessels with 760 Spanish infantrymen who were divided into a total of seven companies. Using Zamboanga as base, the troops underwent rigorous training with the advice and help of Datu Suksukan of Zamboanga and Datu Piatong of the Lutaos."

Chavacano, the native dialect of the Zamboanguenos, is a hodgepodge of bastardized Spanish, Cebuano, Tagalog, and Ilonggo.

3.3 Continued Use of Visayan Mercenaries By Spanish Authorities In Mindanao

Even after the administration of Corcuera the Spanish authorities continued to employ Visayan mercenaries to exact revenge and kill as many Moros as they can with the promise of great rewards.

Chapter 13 of Swish of the Kris details this account:

"A decree dated December 21, 1751, was signed by the Governor-General of Manila. It provided:

• The extermination of the Moslems of Mindanao and Sulu with fire and sword and no quarter for Moros of any age or either sex.
• The fitting out of Visayan corsairs with authority to extinguish the foe; to accomplish the burning of all that was combustible.
• To destroy all crops; desolate all land; make Moro captives and recover Christian slaves.
• One fifth of the spoil taken from the Moros belong to the King.
• All Visayans engaged to be exempt from the payment of all tribute while engaged in the extermination of the Moros.
• Criminals who volunteer to the service to be granted full pardon for past offenses."

Given this historical background on the animosity of Visayan Christians and Moros, it is easy to grasp how deep rooted the conflict in Mindanao is until today.

The bloody war of attrition between the Barracudas (Moro fighters) and the Ilagas (Ilonggos) and the succeeding MNLF war of secession in the1970's displaced more than a quarter of a million Muslims in Mindanao.

Casualties from both sides also numbered to several hundred thousands.

3.4 Continued Recruitment of Cebuano Mercenaries

The recruitment of Cebuanos continued until the 19th century.

Chapter 15, Later Wars, of Swish of the Kris, recalls graphically what motivated the Cebuanos to volunteer in a war against the Moros in the name of the King of Spain:

"Indeed, matters reached such a state that before the end of the year warships were ordered out for another attack on Jolo. Four regiments of infantry and a corps of artillery aided the gunboats. Included was a battalion of Cebuanoes (sic)who sought revenge for the Moro raids. The wives of the Cebuanoes (sic) emulated Lysistrata in reverse. Every wife took an oath before Father Ibanez to deny forever their husbands all of their favors if the Cebuano men turned their backs to the Moros.

"In the battle of Jolo, Father Ibanez lost his life in the assault on a Moro cotta. The good Father tucked his cassock about his waist and plunged into the thickest of the battle. The Cebuanoes (sic) performed prodigies of valor and Jolo fell again. The seat of the Sultanate was removed across the island to Maybun, and the Moros paid regular visits to Jolo to slaughter the Spanish garrison which remained."

It is therefore not unthinkable that the Cebuano survivors/veterans of this campaign later passed on their martial arts skills to the rest of Cebu and the Visayan Islands.

The foregoing text also bolsters our theory on the active participation of Spanish priests in combat and their influence in the development of Eskrima.

Lavilles de Paula, in her narrative, told of the same pattern of pillage and plunder in the towns of Sibonga, Mandaue with its famous Bantayan sa Hari Tower, Carcar, Oslob, Naga, and Talisay.

Practically all the 52 coastal municipalities of Cebu had a history of recurring Moro forays.

Given this statistics and taking into account the brave Sri Vishayan ancestry of the Cebuanos, Ilonggos, and Warays, we can deduce that a raw form of martial arts started to take shape in defense of their coastal communities.

Later, the Spanish authorities took advantage of the martial skills of the native Cebuanos and their animosity against the Moros during the Corcuera administration.

And with the subsequent alliance with the Pampangos and a more deadly and highly developed martial arts that we now call as Eskrima, Arnis, Estoque, or Estokada later flourished.

3.5 Additional Narrative of Moro Raids in Leyte, Bohol, and Panay Islands

From the book The Philippine Islands, Chapter XV, by Blair & Robertson, is a narrative of Moro raids in Leyte, Bohol and Panay Islands:

"That year of 1634 was so quiet and so barren of events worthy of remembrance that I shall not dwell long upon it; for there is nothing of which I have heard to detain me, unless it be the raid of the Mindanao enemy into the island of Leyte, and the depredations that they committed there with the license permitted to them in seeing that there was no attempt made in Manila to check them.

"On Sunday, December 3, 1634, the Mindanaos arrived with eighteen galleys at the village of Ogmuc (Ormoc City), leaving behind in that of Baybay the rest of the vessels, which they brought in their fleet. Fifty of our Indians went out to resist them, but being unable to fight so many, they gradually retired to a little fort, possessed by the village. They thought that they would be able to resist the pirates there, being encouraged by their minister, Father Juan del Carpio, of the Society of Jesus; and they did so for some time, until the Moros, knowing that the church was higher than the fort, entered it and our men could not reach them with their shots.

"They planted three pieces in a convenient place at the church, in order to do great damage to those in the fort; and firing without cessation, they did not allow our men to fire a shot through its loopholes and windows. Others of the enemy hastened by another side to gather bundles of thatch by uncovering the roofs of the houses; and by fastening together what wood and bamboo they could gather, and pushing this contrivance toward the fort, they set it afire. The fire burned a quantity of rice and abacá (which is the hemp of this country), and many men were choked by the smoke. The besieged, seeing that the fire had caught the timber-work [of the fort], and that they were being inevitably killed without any chance to defend themselves, displayed a signal for surrender, and in fact did so.

"They were all captured; and a great contest arose among the enemy as to who should have Father Carpio as his captive. In this contention, they had recourse to the Mindanao captain, and he ordered that the father be killed. That they did very gladly, and beheaded him and carried his head back to present it as a spoil to their king, Cachil Corralat (Sultan Kudarat). The latter had charged them not to leave alive any religious or Spaniard, for so had he vowed to their false prophet Mahomet in an illness that he had had. They took the others captive, and sacked and burned all the village.

"From that place they sailed out and committed the same destruction in the villages of Soyor, Binñangán, Cabalián, Canamucán, and Baybay (Leyte Island). But they were so stoutly resisted in the village of Inibañgán (Inabanga) in [the island of] Bohol, and in Dapitán (Mindanao), that they retired but little the gainers; for those Indians (Visayan Christian natives) are very valiant, and very different in valor from the other villages which the Mindanaos sacked.

"The Camucones (the name of the Moro pirates who inhabit the little islands of the Sulu group east of Tawi-tawi, and the islands between these and Borneo) also--a people from islands subject to Borney, cruel and barbarous, and Mahometan by religion, although there are pagans in some islands--made their raids into the island of Panay, chiefly on the villages of Batán, Domayan, and Mahanlur, and in those of Aclán and Bahay, where they captured many of our Indians, and burned the churches of the visita. The visitas are usually deserted, and have no houses to defend them; and those Camucones are very cowardly and very different from the Joloans and Mindanaos, who are valiant, and much more so the latter named.

"The Camucones entered by the river and bar of Batán, which is salt water, where a very grievous jest happened to two or three of their craft. The river of Batán has another river a short distance above the village road, which ends in a very wide and spacious sea, which they call 'tinagongdagat' or 'hidden sea, in which the inhabitants enjoy excellent fishing. With the ebb of the tide that spacious sea is left, almost dry, and then many kinds of shellfish are caught, such as oysters and crabs.

"The Camucones entered that sea, with the intention of lying in wait for some capture, but when they least expected it they found their craft on dry ground. An Indian who was gathering the aforesaid shellfish saw them; and, recognizing them to be piratical enemies by the style of their craft, went to the village and gave warning of them. Many of the inhabitants of Batán assembled, and, well armed, attacked the Camucones very courageously. They made a great slaughter of the pirates, and captured many of them and burned their craft. Some of the Camucones escaped through the mangrove plantations and swampy ground. They were captured next day, with the exception of those who had the luck to rejoin the boats of their companions-who repenting of their carelessness, returned to their lands, and did not return to try their fortune in those regions for many years.”

Again, the foregoing narrative demonstrated the cunning and bravery of the early Christian Boholanos and Ilonggos of Panay in repulsing the Moro raiders.

Theory 4

Eskrima/Arnis undoubtedly is a product of Filipino genius, however, we cannot also downplay the significant contributions of Spanish military/civilian fencers, especially the clergy in its development.

4.1 Boljoon

Boljoon's history presents proof of Spanish warrior-priests training Cebuano natives and engaging Moro raiders in hand-to-hand combat.

We can further surmise that the early techniques of Eskrima such as the "fraille," "florete," and "crossada" were coined by these warrior-priests.

Erlinda Kintanar-Alburo recounts in her book Sugat, which is a collection of essays on the Cebuano insurrection, that a Spanish priest Fr. Angel Maestro taught Cebuano revolutionary hero Leon Kilat the fundamentals of Eskrima.

Here are more excerpts from Evangeline Lavilles de Paula's book Cebu in History and Legend:

"Boljoon is one of the oldest towns in the South. And it is also the most quaint and picturesque. Its narrow coastal plains are bordered by cliffs and luxuriant hills which has a commanding view of Bohol Strait.

"According to Marin Morales, the town was created in 1598. The parish was established a year later. But this was disputed by Fr. Blanco, asserting that the parish was founded in 1600. The church of Boljoon was started by Fr. Manuel Cordero and completed by Fr. Julian Bermejo, who also built the convent that was finished in 1841. The convent is L-shaped like a monastery surrounded by walls and tile roof.

"Boljoon church is a veritable showcase of old and intricate carvings and bass relief. It still has the Spanish churchyard beside it. According to Tamayo, of all Cebu's churches, the Boljoon church best gives one a sense of the Philippine colonial past. J.T Newman describes the church: It is relatively well preserved, except for its communion rail with ornate silverwork, which has been stolen. It is pseudo-baroque-rococo. Its tower is unusual because it is Islamic in character, it is square, rather than curved, making it look more like a fortress than anything. Its rectangular belfry, built in 1701, has fort windows used to show cannons to defend against Moro pirates. The sound of its silver bells reached Oslob and Alcoy. But in 1802, they were stolen by Muslim hordes led by Datu Orendain. Because of their weight, the Moro vinta sunk. Fray Antonio Maglano, OSA, was the warrior-priest who led the Boljoon militiamen.

"One of the parish priests who worked hard to repulse the Muslim pirates was Fr. Julian Bermejo. A chain of watchtowers was constructed under his direction. This chain ran along the shoreline from Punta Tañong (Santander) to Manhage. It was later extended up to Carcar, for a total length of 96 kms. He built a large quadrangular house made of masonry and its walls were at least a meter thick; its four corners were reinforced wit loopholes. The townspeople called it dakung balay. The governor-general, impressed, sent to the necessary artillery equipment for this fortress. Fr. Bermejo also installed a telegraphic system for the purpose of constant communication among towns in cases of impending raids.

"Old Boljoon had four dependents: Mambaje, Ivisan, and Tañon. The first three were situated near the beach, while Tañon was perched high up in the mountains serving as an observation post for the marauding Moros."

4.2 Credit To The Bravery Of Spanish Warrior-Priests

Also from Chapter 11 of Swish of the Kris, Hurley ga