BALINTAWAK ESKRIMA
Balintawak Eskrima, or Balintawak Arnis is a corto (close range) style of eskrima developed in the 1950’s by the late Grandmaster Venancio ‘Anciong’ Bacon. He was a loyal student of Lorenzo Saavedra, who was known as Cebu’s foremost eskrimador, and was instrumental in establishing the Labangon Fencing Club, and later in 1932, the Doce Pares Club. Along with Lorenzo Saavedra’s nephew Teodoro, GM Bacon was known as one of Lorenzo Saavedra’s top students, and second only to Teodoro as the best fighter within Doce Pares.
Whilst training within Doce Pares, Anciong Bacon was prohibited from using a wooden training dagger by Saavedra, due to repeatedly hurting his training partners and even drawing blood, despite the dagger’s blunt design. He then developed his empty left hand to be as equally effective as his stick wielding right, by using it to smother, strike, push, pull and manipulate his partners during training. It is here where the foundations of Balintawak Eskrima began.
After Teodoro Saavedra’s death at the hands of the occupying Japanese forces during WW2, and Lorenzo Saavedra’s passing shortly after, Anciong Bacon parted ways with the Doce Pares organization, and the style known as Balintawak was officially born. It is named after a small street in Cebu, where one of GM Bacons students had a small shop from where the original Balintawak Self Defense Club took it’s name.
During the 1950’s and 60’s, challenges and ambushes were common between the eskrimadors of Cebu, as well as from anyone who might hold a grudge or grievance. It is from one of these events which led to GM Anciong Bacon’s incarceration. Ambushed one night whilst walking home, GM Anciong ended up killing his attacker by way of snapping his spine. The judge ruled that being an eskrimador of such high renown and skill, he should have shown restraint when dealing with his attacker. GM Anciong was tried, and imprisoned.
Grandmaster Ted Buot continued to teach Balintawak during this time, as well as Grandmasters Atty. Jose Villasin, and Teofilo Velez. GM Bobby Tabimina was also a direct student of GM Bacon, studying with him by visiting the jail where GM Bacon was incarcerated.
Upon his release on parole in the mid-1970’s, GM Bacon returned to Cebu, and to Balintawak. Although he did not resume leadership, he would regularly attend training sessions by those of his students who had continued to teach in his absence, up until his death a few years later. GM Anciong’s Balintawak single stick methods, principles and theories are still being taught today across the globe, and are just as effective as when they were first taught, tried and tested.
