STORY BEHIND OF KOMBATAN
Kombatan is a very comprehensive Filipino fighting system. It is the brainchild of our beloved mentor Great Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas Sr. Now people who do not really understand the mindset of GGM Ernesto will not get the essence of what is the melting pot of knowledge that Kombatan offers. So here is a part of the untold history of Kombatan.
GGM Ernesto as a child learn from his grandfather and father what he called their family art. We already know that the Presas family systems are palis-palis and sungkiti. And GGM also learned arnis from his brothers. He was a late bloomer. But an athlete who put full commitment into learning arnis. You may have heard the story of the brothers going around and asking for lessons from different masters. One will be the dummy as they took notes. Then they would switch when one was beaten up to rest.
As a young student I was very curious of the origins of GGM’s Modern Arnis. I asked GGM Ernesto one time why he studied when he was already Grandmaster. He looked at me with a blank expression. He later came back to me and said “You know rank and title does not mean anything in a real fight. I want to improve myself to become better and stronger.”
There are many transitions in the way our school was named. It started as Arjuken karate club. In the US it was Modern arnis de mano. But in the 90s it was Modern Arnis was replaced with Arnis Presas Style because GGM did not want to be bashed by the students of Prof Remy. They would compared the two brothers. And GGM did not want to make his brother a competition. So he changed the name. Then people said but if he uses this name it still Presas. Which one is it? So then came the Name Kombatan. We did not like it. But he was the founder of his own system so we follow him as his students.
Modern arnis in the Philippines had evolved as GGM did more research. He studied with different masters such as Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo of Kalis Ilustrisimo, Ben Luna Lema of Lightning Scientific Arnis, Jose Mena of Doblete Rapilon these three were a big influence in how GGM evolved as a fighter and as a teacher of his own system.
With the help of Cristino Vasquez (espada y daga, anyos, applications and freestyle and Mano mano), Federico Lazo (freestyle and practical applications), Pepe Yap (sparring and practical application), Benny Quitalig (art and teaching side), Dave Labiano (anyo and teaching), Edgardo Kawada (Bankaw, balisong and documentations), Mark Matthew Santos (knife, mano mano, locks and takedowns, groundwork), ), Bambit Dulay (freestyle applications, anyo, weapons locking and takedowns, Mano mano), who helped develop the subsystems of Kombatan.
Solo baston we preserved the old salubong or meet with force now called force to force and added the classical strikings of abanico doblada and wisik. Using the balintawak blocking in long range and the Doce Pares classical striking. I could be wrong but I believe this came from the Canete’s Doce Pares. I asked but did not get a straight answer. But SGM Cacoy Canete saw me do it. He said to me you are truly Ernesto’s student. I taught him this. And some other things in corto. I also know this was influenced by GM Momoy Canete. Because GGM and the seniors talked to highly of GM Momoy.
The movements of the Palis palis go with the force and doblete rapilon of GM Jose Mena were very similar to the Presas palis. So it was included in the palis palis system.
The movements in Sungkiti-tutsada were based on the Presas family system. But has some similarities to many Negros style systems. And there was a little bit of influence of Abanico Tres Puntas istilo of GM Mateo Estiloso. It’s the low stance hitting on the floor and sungkit movements.
In the modern arnis system of solo baston the big influence is Doromal arnis of Hirada Pigada system and Balintawak. The Disarming locks and takedowns have many influences. From all masters of KI, LSAI, Pecate, Doce Pares, Vinas Arnis and Balintawak. Not to mention the Japanese jujitsu weapons retention and takedowns.
Doble baston is very generic of all FMA in the Philippines. There is no one influence. Everyone had their own flavor. So we cannot say it was only from one person. I was told that Doble baston first was encouraged by Doc Leongson and Tatang. But since it was very generic in all systems sinawali was taught to balance both sides and improve hand, eye, foot coordination, and most importantly the flow.
In espada y daga we preserved the old Negros style espada y daga and GGM Ernesto mixed it up with some of the best moves in all the systems he studied. Kalis Ilustrisimo, Lightning scientific, Doblete rapilon, Pecate system, San Miguel arnis, palis palis, and sungkiti-tutsada were all in the espada y daga system.
Bankaw or staff came from the Japanese arts. But GGM added his own flavor to it.
Dulo dulo came from centro baston of KI. As Tatang used to say. You will have to know how to fight using natural or hammer grip, center grip or reverse or ice pick grip. Because when you are in a fight you will not always pick it up in natural grip. It also came from the butting system of the solo baston.
Knife or daga. GGM taught us all the Presas style daga. It’s origins are from all the subsystems.
GGM Ernesto as a child learn from his grandfather and father what he called their family art. We already know that the Presas family systems are palis-palis and sungkiti. And GGM also learned arnis from his brothers. He was a late bloomer. But an athlete who put full commitment into learning arnis. You may have heard the story of the brothers going around and asking for lessons from different masters. One will be the dummy as they took notes. Then they would switch when one was beaten up to rest.
As a young student I was very curious of the origins of GGM’s Modern Arnis. I asked GGM Ernesto one time why he studied when he was already Grandmaster. He looked at me with a blank expression. He later came back to me and said “You know rank and title does not mean anything in a real fight. I want to improve myself to become better and stronger.”
There are many transitions in the way our school was named. It started as Arjuken karate club. In the US it was Modern arnis de mano. But in the 90s it was Modern Arnis was replaced with Arnis Presas Style because GGM did not want to be bashed by the students of Prof Remy. They would compared the two brothers. And GGM did not want to make his brother a competition. So he changed the name. Then people said but if he uses this name it still Presas. Which one is it? So then came the Name Kombatan. We did not like it. But he was the founder of his own system so we follow him as his students.
Modern arnis in the Philippines had evolved as GGM did more research. He studied with different masters such as Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo of Kalis Ilustrisimo, Ben Luna Lema of Lightning Scientific Arnis, Jose Mena of Doblete Rapilon these three were a big influence in how GGM evolved as a fighter and as a teacher of his own system.
With the help of Cristino Vasquez (espada y daga, anyos, applications and freestyle and Mano mano), Federico Lazo (freestyle and practical applications), Pepe Yap (sparring and practical application), Benny Quitalig (art and teaching side), Dave Labiano (anyo and teaching), Edgardo Kawada (Bankaw, balisong and documentations), Mark Matthew Santos (knife, mano mano, locks and takedowns, groundwork), ), Bambit Dulay (freestyle applications, anyo, weapons locking and takedowns, Mano mano), who helped develop the subsystems of Kombatan.
Solo baston we preserved the old salubong or meet with force now called force to force and added the classical strikings of abanico doblada and wisik. Using the balintawak blocking in long range and the Doce Pares classical striking. I could be wrong but I believe this came from the Canete’s Doce Pares. I asked but did not get a straight answer. But SGM Cacoy Canete saw me do it. He said to me you are truly Ernesto’s student. I taught him this. And some other things in corto. I also know this was influenced by GM Momoy Canete. Because GGM and the seniors talked to highly of GM Momoy.
The movements of the Palis palis go with the force and doblete rapilon of GM Jose Mena were very similar to the Presas palis. So it was included in the palis palis system.
The movements in Sungkiti-tutsada were based on the Presas family system. But has some similarities to many Negros style systems. And there was a little bit of influence of Abanico Tres Puntas istilo of GM Mateo Estiloso. It’s the low stance hitting on the floor and sungkit movements.
In the modern arnis system of solo baston the big influence is Doromal arnis of Hirada Pigada system and Balintawak. The Disarming locks and takedowns have many influences. From all masters of KI, LSAI, Pecate, Doce Pares, Vinas Arnis and Balintawak. Not to mention the Japanese jujitsu weapons retention and takedowns.
Doble baston is very generic of all FMA in the Philippines. There is no one influence. Everyone had their own flavor. So we cannot say it was only from one person. I was told that Doble baston first was encouraged by Doc Leongson and Tatang. But since it was very generic in all systems sinawali was taught to balance both sides and improve hand, eye, foot coordination, and most importantly the flow.
In espada y daga we preserved the old Negros style espada y daga and GGM Ernesto mixed it up with some of the best moves in all the systems he studied. Kalis Ilustrisimo, Lightning scientific, Doblete rapilon, Pecate system, San Miguel arnis, palis palis, and sungkiti-tutsada were all in the espada y daga system.
Bankaw or staff came from the Japanese arts. But GGM added his own flavor to it.
Dulo dulo came from centro baston of KI. As Tatang used to say. You will have to know how to fight using natural or hammer grip, center grip or reverse or ice pick grip. Because when you are in a fight you will not always pick it up in natural grip. It also came from the butting system of the solo baston.
Knife or daga. GGM taught us all the Presas style daga. It’s origins are from all the subsystems.
Story by MASTER ALEX ERCIA
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Mano Mano was influenced by GGM’s flow and emptyhand training in different systems. It was from the karate, jujitsu, judo, wrestling and boxing. It came from students asking if he taught emptyhand. The cardinal question “What if you do not have a weapon?” So GGM formulated Mano Mano.
The bottom line of Kombatan as an art is Hit and hit first. If you get into a fight. Finish fast finish first. Take the opponent out. Once you learn the foundation of Kombatan. Make it your own. It is constant work. You are given a key to training and becoming a fighter. Use these keys as a way to improve yourself. |
