# The Origin of Balintawak Self-defense



## soncen (May 5, 2006)

Hello Everyone,

Greetings to all!!! I just want to present our version about the origin of the Balintawak in this forum to the FMA community, hoping to contribute some information that was actually happening to the best of my knowledge and belief that is true and very authentic. I am a Cebuano with residence here in Cebu and I know the history of our Martial art since the beginning when I started training with the art. I myself in the lineage of Mr. Velez was now also teaching the art and I had to inform our students the real story about the origin of our martial art. A lot of people had written an article about the Balintawak where some are not even a practitioner of the Balintawak style and it is understandable when you can go over with some inaccuracies in some of their stories. There is also some of our brother-Balintawak who writes articles in some international magazines and in the Internet believing that the information that they had gathered is all correct. But I think we have to readily understand, as everyone has its own honest agenda in his or her life, have their own self-motivation in doing things for themselves letting others know what they believed is really correct, although in my honest opinion, I cannot just leave it behind and let the wrong information for me to remain uncorrected forever. I am here to share my knowledge but open to accept any correction if anyone honestly found to have inaccuracies in my post.


Venancio (Anciong) Bacon student to Lorenzo Saavedra invented the Balintawak style of martial art. He was the teacher of Delfin Lopez, Vicente Atillo, Timor Maranga, Arnulfo Mongcal, Isidro Bardilas, Lorenzo Gonzales, Alfredo (Pedong) Ouano former Mayor of Mandaue City and Father of the present Mayor Teddy Ouano. Teddy Buot, Arturo Sanchez, Atty. Jose Villasin were student to Anciong in the 1958 to 1960, Willy, Dom and Nardo Fernandez were students in the mid-sixties, Bobby Tabimina is a student to Anciong in the 1970's after learning the basic from Atty. Villasin and Mr. Velez and etc. Atty. Villasin was the teacher of Dr. Dom Lopez, Nilo Servila, Teofilo A. Velez, Sam Buot and etc. Mr. Velez was the teacher of his three sons Chito, Monie and Eddie, Teofilo V. Roma trained with Mr. Velez in 1969, Bobby Taboada, Nick Elizar, Romeo de la Rosa, Wennie de la Rosa and etc. were also students to Mr. Velez. Teofilo V. Roma was the teacher of Santiago Cabahug, Justo Potolin, Jose Villamor, Rogelio Anter and Fiscal Bienvenido N. Mabanto Jr. Raul C. Noynay, Romulo G. Genandoy and myself were student to Teofilo Roma in the second half of the 1980&#8217;s. Teofilo V. Roma had his own personal knowledge of the origin of the Balintawak Self-defense because he had been in constant company with Anciong in the last five years of his life. Anciong although a little bit weaker on that period due to his illness was still able to give some good lessons in the _&#8220;cuentada&#8221;_, but the most valuable thing they developed was their closeness, and their friendship has extended to a father and son relationship. His son Meliton had abandoned him when he was contacted illness that contributed much in his agony for a long time and his students in the later days of his life became his instant family. Roma together with Mr. Velez and Atty. Villasin had contributed largely for the support of his daily financial expenses and medication. 


*Lorenzo Saavedra*according to Anciong Bacon was an expert arnis fighter who joined the secret revolutionary movements that fight against the Spaniards when he was only about twenty years old. He was arrested and incarcerated in jail for about thirty years. While in jail he practice the art of arnis fighting with a fellow prisoner a Frenchman who was expert in fencing to enhance his skill. When he was freed in the year 1900, he taught the art to his two nephews Teodoro (Doring) Saavedra and Federico (Pedring) Saavedra who was then in their 20&#8217;s and the news about his skill was spreading all over the province. Gregorio Canete together with his brothers Pedro and Gavino an arnis practitioners themselves heard the news about this man because of his growing popularity and they were convinced of Saavedra&#8217;s mastery of his craft when they heard no one among his enemies stood before him in a testing. Gregorio brought his children Eulogio _(Yoling)_, Florentino and Felimon _Momoy)_ to further study arnis fighting under him. In 1920 Saavedra organized the Labangon Fencing Club and in 1929 when Lorenzo Saavedra was already at the age of seventy-seven years old had also taught the art to the young Venancio (Anciong) Bacon son of his close friend who by then at the age of only seventeen years old. In 1932 the organization was renamed the Doce Pares Arnis Club and *Eulogio (Yoling) Canete* age 31 was elected as the President. *Venancio (Anciong) Bacon* who stands only at 5&#8217;2&#8221; and weighs only about 120 lbs. was the best among the entire student of Lorenzo Saavedra, but because he lacks formal education and very young at age, several of his co-members were just taken him for granted although Yoling Canete has nothing to do with the bickering. After the death of his teacher in 1945, the organization was regrouped, but Anciong did not rejoined, he was so upset by the way some officers and members are treating him to be a second-class citizen before, while giving some special attention to new members who lacks the skill in arnis fighting just for the reason only because they had gotten some good academic education. 


He eventually seceded and goes on into self-practice and for about five years his neighbors would always noticed him with a very estranged movement, occasionally gesturing his arms and body as if he is fighting with an invisible person. This was the time when he was refining his skill and researching for a new technique. He talks about this new technique to all his friends explaining the mechanics of the fight and he convinced them to learn with him. But he was only taunted, nobody believes in him, because he is showing different actuation that was not normally seen on him before. They called him (_Anciong-buang)_ insane as the people believes that he started losing his sanity unable to accept the death of his teacher and remains in the state of mourning for that matter, because he cannot help but on a moment moving his stick to strike in the air, then walk around and continue the shadow fighting he used to do almost everyday and every time people saw him would mock, but there&#8217;s only one person who has the nerve to try and heed the invitation to learn with him. 


Delfin Lopez a co-member in Saavedra&#8217;s group was the first to accept the invitation just only for fun at first followed by several others. But long after when he observed that the system was very sophisticated he take the training more seriously. After learning the mechanics of the fight, he go on challenging anybody especially old members in the Saavedra&#8217;s group to test his new skill of fighting. But nobody had allegedly ever stand before him on that moment according to some of his acquaintances and neighbors, some training centers were close due to frequent invasion by Delfin Lopez until then that most of them avoided him anymore for fear of harm, as they observed Delfin on that period was seem to be unconquerable. People concluded him to be a very dangerous fighter on that moment whom, was well known to disperse labor strike. He had made so many enemies, but nobody ever dared to fight him back in a face-to-face, because of his toughness until their was one occasion his enemy shot him at the distance for the purpose to get him dead as Delfin Lopez was becoming so abusive on his skill by his frequent invasion to any newly organized self-defense training centers, or when in any moment he heard about of any person teaching martial art, he would come to try and smack them down. Although he survive on that moment when he was shot, but in one other occasion an unknown enemy stabbed him in the back causing of him instant death. 


However, during his time he also had some good friends who are all a loyal friend to him, as Delfin Lopez although was a dangerous to his enemy but he was also a very generous person, a thoughtful and very loyal to his very close friend. One of his friends was Vicente Atillo another co-member in the Saavedra&#8217;s group. He demonstrated this new martial art technique and shows to him the mechanics of the fight later on Vicente Atillo was eventually invited by him to also learn with Anciong Bacon. Thus Vicente Atillo too became a member of Anciong&#8217;s group _(before naming it as the Club 56 in 1956 where large number of student had come to train with him)._ When Delfin Lopez a bulky person who stands about 5&#8217;11&#8221; in height and weighs around 200 lbs. thought that he had already learned all the techniques in the Anciong&#8217;s art of fighting, challenge his teacher to a duel to test his capability thinking of himself that the skills he had acquired would be enough to overpower the man as he had tested it already in several occasions.But when the fight began, he was waylaid right away receiving multiple lashes all over his body.The fight made him convinced of the excellent skill and superior capability of his teacher and by then he submitted himself again as a student. *Timoteo Maranga* who stands at 5&#8217;10&#8221; was a Police major who had also some background in arnis fighting aside from being a wrestling champion had tried to challenge Anciong in a duel prior to training with him, but he suffered an embarrassing defeat when his shoulder bone was dislocated. Maranga trained with Anciong after the healing of his shoulder. 


Anciong Bacon did not really organized a group as what other writers had published as he once said he lacks formal education and has no experience in administering a group. He is also not comfortable in joining a group to be under the leadership of an educated people whom he believed couldn&#8217;t be superior to him in terms of skill. What he had always intended to do all his life is only teaching of the art to those who desire to learn with him, and every time he visited his student for a training session, everyone who heard where he was gone would also come and trained with him. They spontaneously gather from one place to another, way back then before finding a permanent place of their meetings. Anciong would only like to talk about the mechanics of his style and apply it in drill session. His follower was increasing in number, new students were emerging, such notable personalities (aside from Delfin Lopez, Vicente Atillo and Timor Maranga) like Arnulfo Mongcal, Tinong Ybanez, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Dr. Cerna, Alfredo (Pedong) Ouano former Mayor of Mandaue City, Isidro Bardilas, Ovtavius Jefe, Teddy Buot, Arturo Sanchez, Eduardo Baculi, the Fernandez brothers Willy, Dom and Nardo and etc. The training space in every student&#8217;s house can no longer accommodate for the training session. Eduardo Baculi offered a larger space at the back of his watch repair shop in Balintawak St., to be their permanent training venue and the group change its name as the Balintawak group, so thus with their new Martial art was called befitting in it and the purpose was to identify it from the Doce Pares.


*Atty. Jose Villasin *was one among with the students who studied with Anciong Bacon in this new location. Delfin Lopez, who was feared by several arnis practitioner during that period, would sometimes pick him up as training partner. But this man would always make him a subject of mockery, especially when there is a gathering of friends. Delfin would shows up his skills to his invited guest to brag about his deadly skill in self-defense fighting at the expense of Atty. Jose Villasin. When Anciong saw all these misdemeanor of his senior student reprimanded Delfin, but the scolding did not matter to him and he continued to do what he pleases to himself and did not bother to give enough attention to what Anciong had told to him. Grandmaster Anciong, who was upset by this misbehavior of his senior student, began to teach Atty. Villasin all the techniques of combat fighting in a secret meeting session and trained him without the knowledge of everybody. In one other occasion Delfin again invited Atty. Jose Villasin to be as a dummy in a show attended by a small gathering of audience. Amid the clicking of arnis with the application of the techniques he had learned, Delfin who was then unsuspecting of what may happens next was aptly vanquished. It was the time of sweet revenged for Atty. Villasin and a great disgraced to Delfin that in shame awhile after, shouted denunciated words and rushed away. Never again had Delfin try to invite Villasin to be as a dummy after that very shameful occasion in his life. Some notable students of Atty. Villasin aside from his children and Mr. Velez were Dr. Dom Lopez, Nilo Servila and Sam Buot one of the best of his students.


In 1963, Villasin invited his close friend Mr. Teofilo A. Velez to learn also with the Balintawak style. *Mr. Teofilo A. Velez* by then his mid-30's was strong and bulky and about his height, agreed to try and heed the invitation to learn, but not after a try out with him in a duel. Mr. Velez, who was then an amateur boxer and a practitioner of Doce Pares arnis that he acquired from a certain Santos Denampo, was very confident on his knowledge in arnis and bare hand fighting but he was handily defeated in a so short while and that started his training with Atty. Villasin. *Mr. Velez also trained with Anciong *until he mastered all the techniques and secrets of the art. As the group was not yet formally organized on that moment, Mr. Velez opened the idea of forming an organization by him self. It was in the mid 60&#8217;s when Mr. Velez has granted the permission by Anciong to organize a group in his residence in Sikatuna St., joining the group were only a few of Anciong&#8217;s students together with Atty. Villasin and his followers. When the meeting was convened Atty. Villasin was elected President. They called the new organization as the *Balintawak Arnis International* and most of the members were their own students. 


Anciong continued teaching of his own although he frequently visited Mr. Velez house to observe the training while several of his senior students were not joining. Timor Maranga established the Tres Personas now the Cebu Eskrima Maranga, Teddy Buot had gone abroad in the 1970&#8217;s, Tinong Ybanez established a group in Lapu-lapu City, Vicente Atillo with his son Crispulo (Ising) Atillo established the NACVAM. Arturo Sanchez open a club gym in his residence at R. R. Landon St., Cebu City, Arnulfo Mongcal teaches the art in his home province in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental and etc. Atty. Villasin held the position as President of the *Balintawak Arnis International* until his death. Mr. Velez made some innovation and introduced the grouping techniques in the teaching method and the integration of their students did not matter to them as the system works out smoothly for they had the kind of good companionship and respect to one another. There is only one thing that they differ in opinion and ideas where Atty. Villasin a loyal follower to Anciong Bacon keep his promise not to publicly teach the art for the reason that it might be copied by other people and Mr. Velez at first had followed the same principle. But on the passing day he changed his mind for he believed that their martial art must be known throughout the world, especially when on that moment their were foreigners taking videos for documentary about our Filipino Martial art and he was one of the invited guest to demonstrate the Balintawak self-defense system. Mr. Velez explained the reason about the change of his mind, but Atty. Villasin was not been so happy of this development. Mr. Velez only proceeded and goes on his own way until a friendly fight of their students between Bobby Taboada and one of the best students of Atty. Villasin took place. In the ensuing fight Bobby won very impressively. 


This event made Atty. Jose Villasin very angry as he told Mr. Velez earlier not to teach Bobby Taboada of the advance lessons of arnis on that moment as he was thinking Bobby was becoming very disrespectful to him when he go with Mr. Velez to be a dummy in an exhibition show. But Mr. Velez had a hard time to accommodate the request of his close friend because Bobby Taboada is like a son to him and he had to give every good thing to all that is very dear to him especially to his most loyal follower. The trouble was worsening when their children Eddie Velez and John Villasin exchange reviling words sending some detestable rumors about their skills through their acquaintances _{now had reconciled)._ In this grieving situation, their friendship was falling on the verge of attrition because the other party does not want to give in and look for a solution to end the conflict, that with which eventually broke them apart and for good.Mr. Velez move residence to Junquera St., Cebu City to keep his family away from the Villasin&#8217;s family hoping to patch up things in the future. Mr. Velez continued to teach the Balintawak fighting system to his entire loyal follower. In this moment, he commissioned about twelve of his disciples to teach of their own. Mr. Velez eventually seceded from the organization he help established with Atty. Jose Villasin and formally established his own Organization in April 17, 1982 together with his disciples in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu, Philippines. 


The new organization was named as the *TEOVEL&#8217;S BALINTAWAK GROUP* by his disciples and Mr. Velez divided the group into twelve chapter club divisions and assigned them to his twelve most trusted Master Instructors in color-coding scheme for identification of their respective area of responsibility. The Chapter Club division in Mandaue City area was formed coded in color Yellow under the headship of Teofilo V. Roma. Nick Elizar was assigned the White Chapter and he organized it in Barrio Luz and now he named it as Nickel-stick Escrima Balintawak, Bobby Elizar organized in Labangon but later merge it with Nick Elizar his younger brother. Joe Cavan in Barrio Inglis was also merge with Nick Elizar&#8217;s Chapter, Monie Velez established his own in Guadalupe, Wennie de la Rosa in YMCA, Faustino (Tonying) Patalinghug established in Lapu-lapu City, Eddie Velez organized his own Chapter club division in their house in Junquera St., Central Cebu City. Nene Gaabucayan was assigned the Gold Chapter and established it in Cagayan de Oro City his home Province. Romeo de la Rosa&#8217;s assignment was in Sanciangco St. Bobby Taboada was assigned the Red Chapter in absentia as he went to New Zealand way before the formal establishment of the organization. Pacito (Chito) Velez was assigned the Green Chapter Club in Tabunoc, Talisay City after he married and established a resident in the area. 


Teofilo A. Velez had really work hard to promote and propagate his innovative style of Balintawak. He encouraged all his followers to continue the teaching tradition to spread out our style by all means in promoting they know how without engaging into troubles with other people but honestly tell the exact story of its existence before he passed away in 1989. Roma, Nick Elizar, Chito and Eddie Velez and some other masters including those that are once upon a time students of Gm Anciong Bacon such as Lorenzo Gonzales whom I know because he was the uncle of Romulo Gonzales Genandoy, the Fernandez&#8217;s brothers Willy, Dom and Nards were also helping a lot in providing some vital information, I know them personally because they are the first cousin of my wife. The information that I gathered includes the historical facts about its origin, the story of its pioneering disciples, down to the next generation of followers who benefited the first wave of transmogrification of the teaching method. Gm Teofilo A. Velez instituted innovation specifically the grouping order of instruction that he originally developed with which things most impressed to Atty. Villasin his teacher that later on adopted the system during his lifetime and the honor was only credited to him. 


When Pacito (Chito) Velez the favorite son and most trusted follower broke his arms in a car accident, Gm Velez was saddened and very much frustrated about achieving of this great endeavor of him and because of this tragedy, he trained all his disciples giving them all the secrets of Self-defense fighting that he learns from Atty. Villasin and Anciong Bacon thinking that his son would forever be disabled, so that there would be much plenty of his followers aside from his two other sons to succeed in propagating the art for him.


Respectfully,


*Wilson R. Ceniza*
Teovel Balintawak Self-defense Club
Basak, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines


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## Rich Parsons (May 5, 2006)

Thank you for all the information. 

It will take me some time to read through again and let it all sink in.


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## Cruentus (May 5, 2006)

Mr. Ceniza,

Thank you for that piece of history. Although I would have some questions about minor details, it seems like an overall honest attempt to relay important history as you see it. Much of what you have said matches information that I have as well. Hopefully you will have made some of the historical information more clear for some people. Thanks again!

Paul Janulis
Balintawak
Student of Manong Teodoro Buot


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## Ian Kinder (May 5, 2006)

Hello Mr. Ceniza, thank you for the post.  Here is some more information to preserve the history of Balintawak.  The article was composed for The Edge, which is the membership newsletter for the Great Lakes Self-Defense Association.

*Interview: *Mr. Teodoro A. Buot, Manong Ted, of the Pilipino Stick Fighting System Balintawak, Volume 1, Issue 2.

*Mr. Teodoro A. Buot Manong Ted was born in Cebu city in the Philippines on July 1, 1931. He was only 10 years old when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. His Father was a marine engineer and his mother was a school teacher. Mr. Buot was already a mechanical engineer when he began training with sticks in 1959. By 1960, Anciong Bacon, the founder of the Balintawak system, had already delegated Mr. Buot to teach with him in the Balintawak club. 

Q. Mr. Buot, thank you for participating in this interview. We gave a brief introduction of your background, can you please elaborate and specifically, can you please comment on your relationship with the late Anciong Bacon?*

A. On my first visit to the club, I did not know Anciong Bacon or the reputation of Balintawak. My cousins told me not to go to the club because those club members like to see blood and I was curious because I wanted to learn. The owner of the house where the club was located, Eduardo Baculi, introduced me to Noy Anciong as Anciongs nephew and that I was interested in learning Eskrima. Anciong Bacon became my teacher, mentor and friend. 

*Q. Can you please tell us more about Anciong Bacon and the history of Balintawak? *

A. From the stories I heard, Anciong was a member of the Doce Pares Club formed before W.W. II. He used to practice using Stick and Dagger. Anciongs teacher, Tatay Ensong Saavedra, as he is affectionately called, refrained him from using the dagger. His colleagues complained they always get hurt by Anciong. With only a single stick, he used his support hand to push, box, manage and delay his opponents stick. I believe Anciong had a different training under his teacher. He was trained to fight. His moves are direct and effective. There is nothing fancy about his moves. He does not know how to twirl sticks or do amara. I was told by one of his pre-war students that when Tatay Ensong Saavedra was invited to a town fiesta, he was requested to bring his eskrimadors. He would only bring three, Doring Saavedra, Anciong Bacon and a third one whose name I missed. After the banquet the host would invite everybody downstairs so that the public will be entertained. Some other group of eskrimadors would also be invited. Who do you think would get picked first? Anciong Bacon, the smallest one. After W.W. II, Doce Pares members wanted to revive the club. Due to political reasons, Anciong separated from the Doce Pares. He wanted to pursue his own system of Eskrima. A close friend and a student of Anciong, Eduardo Baculi, offered the use of a small space at the back of his house as a club and practice area. The house is located at a small street named Balintawak, which is how I believe the club was named Balintawak Self-Defense Club. Im not sure of the exact date but it was in the early 50s. 

*Q. What innovations do you believe Anciong Bacon brought to the self-defense training community and what are your personal goals as a teacher? *

A. Anciong Bacon brought to the Eskrima community a unique system designed strictly for personal defensive measures with a continuity of techniques and executions that are simple and direct. It is geared to actual combat situations with less effort for most effective results.

My goal as a teacher is to succeed in fulfilling Anciongs desire to keep his art and system as pure and unadulterated as possible the way he taught me.

*Q. What are the fundamental principles of Balintawak and which characteristics do you believe distinguish it?*

A. The fundamental principle of Balintawak is to survive to be more direct and efficient, and to always be a step ahead of your opponent. Balintawak was developed purely as a self-defense for survival. It is not to be viewed as a sport or entertainment. 

*Q. Timing is heavily emphasized in Balintawak, how do you define it?*

A. Timing is an intangible thing. One has to feel it. It is not being fast or ballistic it is knowing when to move.

*Q Why should people learn to protect themselves?*

A. Learning to protect oneself is essential to personal safety.

*Q. What do you see as common mistakes among self-defense instructors?*

A. Teaching is an art. Mistakes made by students must be corrected then and there to avoid repetition of that mistake. Some instructors sometimes tolerate or miss those mistakes, which will eventually form into a bad habit. 

*Q. What do you see as common mistakes among students?*

A. Failing to understand the mechanics of proper technique application. Most students just want to be fast, failing to input coordination and timing to be effective.

*Q. Your background gives you a very unique perspective, what do you feel is the most important thing that you can convey to our members to increase their survival potential?*

A. To practice perfectly and as often as you can to develop your movements into a reflex.

*Q. Mr. Buot, thank you again for your participation in this interview and for your work towards saving lives and preserving the Balintawak system. Thank you also for your influence on me as a student and trainer and for your support of GLSDA. How do you recommend people proceed if they want to study personal combat or improve their current training? *

A. They must have a good mental attitude, interest and desire to attain the next level of training. They must seek an instructor who knows how to convey the mechanics of those moves.


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## soncen (May 8, 2006)

Hello Mr. Ian Kinder,

It was very nice information that you posted.  

You know I always overheard the name of Noy Teddy in the usual conversation of our teachers, but it is only now that I learned the whole story about him. I was told that he is one of the best students of Noy Anciong, I believed in the story about him and all that he was saying in the interview because those were really the same principle that Atty. Villasin and Mr. Velez had followed, but Mr. Velez had only innovated the method in transmitting the skill and I think there is no adulteration in the fighting system because the mechanics of defense and counter were all just the same direct and precise. 

The ingredients of the _abcedario_, the _seguidas_ and _Corridas_ were there in our teaching. But before we teach the student of the _cuentada_ we teach them first the grouping of the most probable forms of action employed by the opponent to delay counters and re-counter and it was clustered into five groups in drills and repetition to implant it in the muscle memory. Mr. Velez noticed it was the most efficient way for him to teach and for the student to quickly learn and understand and the student instinctively adopt it without him thinking much of what would be the next step to do in actual combat.

Bobby Taboada had shown some of the lessons in the grouping method in his video demonstration. But whether it is the original method of teaching or the grouping is for me had just the same learning, grouping or not but had just the same principle that we practiced, our martial art was intended only for self-defense, humbleness and to stay away from trouble is part of our defense mechanism. So I say there is no competition within the Balintawak community as we are all brother Balintawak of the same root coming from Venancio (Anciong) Bacon, I just only prefer the grouping because that is the way I was being taught.

I thank you for this good exchange of information I appreciate it very much. God bless us all!!!

Respectfully,

*Wilson R. Ceniza*
Teovel Balintawak Self-defense Club
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines


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## Cruentus (May 8, 2006)

Mr. Ceniza,

No...thank you sir! We really like to gather as much information as we can because of all of the inaccuracies that are on the internet. So we really appreaciate you taking the time and effort to post your information here. I know it takes a lot of work and time to put a large post like that together, but it is worth it as it really helps preserve the history and tradition of Balintawak. 

I would also like to add that if you click on the E-zine link you can find another interview with Manong Ted in the free content. It was broken into parts that encompassed more then one issue; I believe it was issue #1, and #3-5. I think you might enjoy that read also!

If it is O.K., I am going to print out your post and bring it with me when I see Manong Ted this week. He would probably enjoy reading it. 

Yours,

Paul Janulis


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## Ian Kinder (May 8, 2006)

soncen said:
			
		

> So I say there is no competition within the Balintawak community as we are all brother Balintawak of the same root coming from Venancio (Anciong) Bacon...


 
I agree 100%.  Our brotherhood is a special bond that I greatly appreciate.  I also greatly appreciate and respect your dedication.    

Thank you again for your post.  I hope we can meet someday.


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## Rocky (May 8, 2006)

Thank You for the informative post.


 If I may I would like to make a few notes here.... Remy Presas was also an early student of GM Bacon, before Gm Buot, later Professor left to train with Moncol and Maranga....Few people know this but the main Reason Professor left was he got into a fight with Dlephane Lopez's nephew( Bae Boy or something like that i am sure I mis spelled it) and beat him up pretty bad this made Delphane ( also Ted Buots Uncle) quite upset now at this time many people thought according to Gm Buot that Remy could have beaten Delphane, Remy was in his youth and quite formidable...However Delphane quite often carred a gun and if he couldn't beat you with a stick he would plug you with his pistol.....Remy relized it might be a good time for a change of address!!!

Also Ted Buot was the one and only assistant instructor at the Club on Balintawak street from 1961 to 1974 when he came to America.

Also according to Gm Buot and GM Presas 9 whos info I used in an artical about 10 years ago for Karate International, Anciong was taught the single stick method from the Saavedras because he would constantly poke people with his dagger and hurt them in practice so the instructors took it away from him.


Your in Balintawak

Rocky Pasiwk
Anciong Bacons Original Balintawak
Maranga/Moncol ungrouped blend Balintawak
Cuentada DeMano


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## Cruentus (May 8, 2006)

Good info Rocky! I concur.

You would appreciate the article in Martialtalk E-zine also. I interviewed Manong Ted and kept his interview as close to his words as possible. He tells those exact stories. 

I must reinerate that I really appreciate that Mr. Ceniza took time to start this thread. It is really nice to hear history from other perspectives! 

Paul


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## soncen (May 11, 2006)

Hello Mr. Paul Janulis,

To all of you in the lineage Noy Teddys Balintawak, I was really overjoyed of your very positive and very warm response to my post.

You know I have posted this thread in the hope to share my story, which I believed the most accurate, because I am living here in Cebu the place of origin of the Balintawak self-defense art and I know personally some of Noy Anciongs living students. Noy Anciong seldom talks about his personal matters during the time when he was still active and strong, he only talks always and more about the techniques and mechanics of his Balintawak style and the effectiveness of it when he tested it actual fighting in several occasions. Teofilo Roma my teacher knows Anciong personally because he was so close to him and they frequently had personal conversation, it was then when he was requested by Mr. Velez and Atty. Villasin to help oversee and take care of his finances, as he is now jobless and sickly after completely freed from prison.

Noy Anciong had children but Roma only met one in the house and his name was Meliton who is also jobless and seldom to stay home even for a day or two. Meliton had gone to his unknown activity after a short stay in their house abandoning his father who was in the state of agony due to his illness. Other children were living in a place faraway from him. Roma only noticed Anciong with his wife in their house and he became Anciongs instant family in the last five years in his lifetime. Roma had taken care of their food and medicines and bring some goods coming from Mr. Velez and Atty. Villasin. They talk about everything and sometimes their conversion will last for a whole day, Noy Anciong confided all his grievances with his immediate family and even his grudges with some of his senior students who abandoned him when he was fighting his case in the court. 

All the agonies in his heart have been voiced out and it was then that Roma learned about his principles and ideals in life that although lack of formal education and a small build in stature but he never let himself to be oppressed and taunted. He never participated in any organization after the demise of his teacher Lorenzo Saavedra since 1945 nor established an organization by himself because his only intention was to teach the skill to those who desire to learn nothing more nothing less. I understand that Noy Teddy left for U.S.A. in 1974 and my teacher Teofilo Roma although had started training with Mr. Velez in 1969 did not met him personally because the Velez group together with Atty. Villasin had organized their own in 1965 and Noy Anciong continued to teach of his own in their old venue and I believed that Noy Teddy also continued to assist with him in the training until Noy Anciong's incarceration.

Thank you for taking time to read my post. I hope to met you all someday in person.

Respectfully,

*Wilson R. Ceniza*
Teovel Balintawak Self-defense Club
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines


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## Cruentus (May 11, 2006)

> I believed that Noy Teddy also continued to assist with him in the training until Noy Anciong's incarceration.


 
This is true. Manong Ted also went back to the PI frequently in the 70's, from what I understand. After Noy Anciong was out of jail, I know that he went back to visit.


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## soncen (May 12, 2006)

yes Paul!!! and I am sure he also had brought some financial assistance. But my teacher Teofilo Roma was not lucky enough to catch him every time Noy Teddy visited so that he could meet him in person.

Wilson R. Ceniza


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## Rocky (May 12, 2006)

Monong Ted use to take GM Bacon cigeretts when he was in Jail.


Rocky


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## Miles (May 13, 2006)

Rocky said:
			
		

> Monong Ted use to take GM Bacon cigeretts when he was in Jail.
> 
> 
> Rocky



Why was he jailed?

Miles


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## Rich Parsons (May 13, 2006)

Miles said:
			
		

> Why was he jailed?
> 
> Miles




GM Bacon was in jail for a fight that resulted in Death I believe. There was a local politician who wanted to make a point about street thugs killing people. The problme is that GM Anciong was defending himself from the Street Thug. 

I will stop here as I am not concentrating well. Later I can add in more details, but this gets the basic reason why.


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## Miles (May 13, 2006)

Thanks Rich!

Miles


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## PeteNerd (May 13, 2006)

Rich Parsons said:
			
		

> GM Bacon was in jail for a fight that resulted in Death I believe. There was a local politician who wanted to make a point about street thugs killing people. The problme is that GM Anciong was defending himself from the Street Thug.
> 
> I will stop here as I am not concentrating well. Later I can add in more details, but this gets the basic reason why.



Someone tried to rob him and he killed the guy.  The courts knew he was an Escrima Master and they reasoned that he could have defended himself without killing the guy, so they weren't very lenient on him.  That's the version I heard anyway.

Pete


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## Rocky (May 14, 2006)

That pretty much sums it up.....




Kinda makes you wonder why GM Bacon ( Twice ) ended up in Jail for Killing someone in self defense, Yet these other Masters you hear of had hundreds of Death Matches and yet not one of them ever ended up in Jail or no one avenged the other guy with a gun or something........ This was one of the things that attracked me to Gm BUot and GM Presas, they never claimed to kill a bunch of people they never claimed to be undefeated, basically they put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us, they just happen to have a skill in the FMA's just as many of us have a skill in welding, electronics, business or what ever..... Gm Buot and Professor both use to tel me that the training was much harder back in the day, and challenges were not un-common and they were full contact with no pads at all, but they very very rarely ended up in death, in fact sometimes the defeated Eskrimador would train under the winner.



Rocky


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## Rich Parsons (May 14, 2006)

Rocky said:
			
		

> That pretty much sums it up.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



End even become friends. 

Yes, I find that hard to believe also. The only way it could go down is if someone was in with the local and or regional government and everyone knew it.

I prefer to train with no pads and with real rattan.  Why? "Tis only a flesh wound", or more likely a bruise.


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## soncen (May 15, 2006)

Hello everyone,

The story about Noy Anciongs incarceration was true and the case was murder although it was only an accidental. He had so many death matches before but he never killed anyone because he successfully defeated them all through his excellent skill in arnis fighting and nobody had avenged him because both parties agreed the fight and he was so careful not to severely injure his opponent. 

When the verdict was read to him by the court secretary, he cried out and challenged anyone in the courtroom to show if only to convince the judge that he can really defend himself without killing the opponent if only he had just given a chance to be confronted first. He ended accidentally killed the man when he was ambushed from nowhere on the left in a small path way in the coconut plantation. Anciong only had his peripheral vision of the enemy, as it was already dark at about 6:30 to 7:00 PM when a man had just directly thrust a knife pointing on to his belly without even confronting him first and Anciong instinctively drive the knife on the mans belly without him thinking after blocking, it was his hands only deflecting and redirecting the daggers tip back to the mans belly. 

The man was a watchman/caretaker employed by his employer a military Sergeant in his coconut plantation to watch over the fruit scattered from all over the bushy area from some theft who constantly raids the plantation. One of the suspected theft was Anciongs son Meliton but they are not so sure because the thief could not be identified in the dark and was so slippery that they could hardly caught him in the act. Anciong then who passes by on his way home had felt stomach pain due to LBM and he needs to discharged it walking about five meters away from the small pathway in squatting position. That was then happening after he was finished and back to the small pathway proceeding home that he was mistakenly identified as the thief because he was just coming out from the bush. 

The court did not believed in his own story as he was a well-known arnis practitioner and he could have just defend himself without killing the man if he really wants to, and besides it was during the time of martial law were the military were the most powerful in the country and his lawyer was unable to defend him in court that includes Atty. Villasin one of his students _(although only a labor lawyer but he was assisting in the case of his teacher). _There were other versions of the story but I think this one is more credible than that of all the others, my cousin-in-law Noy Willy Fernandez one of his students in the 1960s told to me the story that was also confirmed by some students of Mr. Velez that includes my teacher Teofilo V. Roma.

-Wilson R. Ceniza


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## soncen (May 15, 2006)

Rocky said:
			
		

> That pretty much sums it up.....
> 
> Gm Buot and Professor both use to tel me that the training was much harder back in the day, and challenges were not un-common and they were full contact with no pads at all, but they very very rarely ended up in death, in fact sometimes the defeated Eskrimador would train under the winner.
> 
> Rocky


Hello Rocky,

The training during Noy Anciongs time was so hard that after the training, the student were had some lashes and their shoulders were blue and black while their nose and ears were red. That is their way of teaching to test the students courage, resistant to pains and has still the eagerness to learn despite of bruises. Those students that are only had the courage to trained under them will just be the one to succeed and earned the skill. But in Mr. Velez method of teaching, the beginners should not be hurt as much as possible because the common reason for a person why he studied self-defense is to protect himself from harm and according to Mr. Velez if you hit the student intentionally some of them wouldnt be returning because of fear of hitting again. 

In Mr. Velez teaching the teacher would only intentionally hit the student when he already had learn the basic of the defense lessons and already had finished the advance lessons and this time he could very well had be able to defend himself properly and the Instructor would now find some holes on the students defense to penetrate his attack and this time again some trash talking, insulting and shouting are to be employed to distract his concentrations for him to get use of the real encounters in the street so he must be conditioned to always be thinking that his enemy is going to kill him and he should stay focused despite of some psychological tactics employed by the instructor to control what they called adrenal rushing or adrenal dumb to a student.

In the Philippines today, challenges were no longer common as our Balintawak arnis was becoming professionalized and the arnis practitioners of today have great respect to one another. Pride was not anymore any longer had a place in every hearts of a Balintawak practitioner.

Respectfully,

Wilson R. Ceniza


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## Rocky (May 15, 2006)

soncen said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> 
> The story about Noy Anciongs incarceration was true and the case was murder although it was only an accidental. He had so many death matches before but he never killed anyone because he successfully defeated them all through his excellent skill in arnis fighting and nobody had avenged him because both parties agreed the fight and he was so careful not to severely injure his opponent.
> 
> ...


 

Thank You for this info,......good reading



Rocky


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## thewhitemikevick (Nov 23, 2006)

Thanks a lot for all the wonderful info on this thread! It has really enlightened my view towards the entire Balintawak system of self-defense. You all did a truly fantastic job.


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