Kutsilyo or the Knife Fighting techniques in the videos we are to show are the product of the following people who have mastered and enjoyed the hobby of knife fighting in their own backyards.

First of all, we acknowledge the late grand master Gregorio Ceniza, who founded and spread this knife fighting art to Filipinos---rich and poor alike.

Ingko Gorio (as he was fondly known to his pioneering students in the art) was a student of Manong Okit. Manong Okit had been his mentor (an eskrimador) before Ingko Gorio became the Father of Knife Fighting for many Cebuano Knife Fighting practitioners and hobbyist. By the way, "Ingko" is a title given to elders as a sign of respect. Today, we seldom hear the word, except in the outskirts of Cebu. However---for some---Ingko Gorio was known as Oyong; and not Goyong as many claimed to know him. Goyong is another eskrimador who lived nearby that time.

This information I got from Cronnie Cabatingan, Ingko Gorio's nephew and student. Cronnie Cabatingan is now the present keeper of the knife fighting art together with Ingko Gorio's son, Boy Ceniza.

How did I come to know the art and these great knife fighting practitioners?

This is often the question I got from friends and relatives to whom I enthusiastically shared my opinion and fascination to the art and the people alike.

Well, I heard this from my uncle, who happened to be a classmate of Cronnie Cabatingan from High School to College.

My uncle was already at that time an assistant instructor of Tat Kon Tou, founded by Joe Go (Jose Go Milan). It was during the early 1970s that Cronnie, a good friend, asked him to go with him to Mandaue for a "duwa" (play). "Duwa" is a Cebuano term, which means "to play" or "play". It can be used to mean for a sparring. "Duwa" is a term used by many eskrimador in the past, which means to spar or practice the art of stick fighting or knife fighting. Many eskrimadors that time visited each other just to have a "duwa".

Hence, they went to Mandaue. They arrived at Maguikay, Mandaue; and my uncle asked Cronnie whom to spar.

There was no one in the middle of that field except the farmer tending his carabao (water buffalo). Cronnie pointed at the farmer---who is no one else but Ingko Gorio. Ingko Gorio approached them after a couple of minutes; he showed my uncle a kutsilyo (dagger/knife) and asked if he was interested to have a "duwa" with it. My uncle, who saw this mature farmer (who seems very old for him; my uncle---a high school student at that time) commented with great respect if they could just do exhibitions ( a sharing of art), instead of going for the usual sparring.

Ingko Gorio agreed; and both faced each other for the exhibition. As the two were sharing their respective art---yet without the use of the dagger (kutsilyo/knife)---a much older man was sitting nearby under the shade of a tree watching them both intently. Perhaps, that man was already there before my uncle arrived or perhaps he just came during the exhibition. That he couldn't remember as narrated by my uncle.

Who was this older man sitting nearby?

This "Manong" (a title given to older male in Cebu as a sign of respect) approached them and gestured Ingko Gorio to move behind. That was a gesture that somehow brought my uncle and me to learn and to love the art of knife fighting.

The "manong" somehow was delighted with my uncles form and style---young as he was---that he told Ingko Gorio to teach my uncle their art of knife fighting. This old man was no other than Manong Okit.

That was the start of my uncle's quest to learn more of the art. Thanks to his very good friend, Cronnie Cabatingan (the present keeper of the art).

Today, Cronnie Cabatingan has been teaching many Filipinos of the great art of knife fighting together with Ingko Gorio's son, Boy Ceniza.

Together they teach, so that the legacy of Ingko Gorio will ever live.

This art of knife fighting has been known as Arnis de Diablo; and later it was renamed to Baraw Sugbu due to the negative connotation of the word "diablo" (the devil) with the efforts of Rene Capangpangan (another of Ingko's students during the later years of his life).

Baraw Sugbu will hopefully be registered in the SEC due to the efforts of the following practitioners who have learned to appreciate and love the art:

Dr. Ned Nepangue (a fellow practitioner of my uncle in Tat Kon Tou; my uncle introduced the art to him and brought him to Ingko Gorio's house during the 1990s)

Karlon Rama

Romy Kho

Our gratitude to the Keepers of the art and its instructors:

Cronnie Cabatingan

Eduardo "Boy" Ceniza

And my gratitude and respect to my mentor:

Venson Villamala (My Uncle)

Presently, Cronnie Cabatingan is teaching knife fighting;

he gives it a new name:

Kutsilyo Cebu

You can contact him for training through this email address:

email@pangamut.aom3.info

He is also available for group training;

you can invite him in your club or gym.