S
Susumu Kodai
Guest
In responce to a letter to IKF Mr. Kelly S. Worden wrote on his forum and in ED:
Today reply was sent by Mr. Jay de Leon to ED
Very interesting to read. What is IKF and where can find original letter?
Thank you
Sure didn't take long for the outsider's of Modern Arnis to drop their agenda thoughts into the recent IKF Magazine.
I was humored at Jay de Leon's attempt to reach out for some credibility about his brief friendship and training under Professor Presas. Admittedly he was only a student for a short time and only attended several seminars, several means "3 or 4" does it not?
His link to Modern Arnis thru "NARAPHIL" is an "Insult to Professor" not a credibility issue.
Speaking with Remy Jr. just hours ago and having Roland Dantes stay with me for a month at a time over the last two years, "NARAPHIL" and former students linked to that "Government Regime" was the direct reason Remy fleed the P.I.
Where's the honor in being affiliated to "NARAPHIL" and the political powerplay of literally stealing the Modern Arnis Organization away from Professor Presas?
I would be hard pressed to believe "Jay de Leon" didn't mean to disrespect everyone he indirectly buzzed around, ("be they, loyalists, renegades, of alphabet soup coalitions)!
We are the only "Coalition", I contend a coalition is to keep our group in check, no self proclaimed dictators here. This Coalition is also the only direct Modern Arnis group outside of MARPPIO that believes Modern Arnis is a cultural art and publically supports the Presas Family and the instructors directly connected to Modern Arnis in the P.I.
That is, the Instructors that Professor Presas embraced personally in the P.I., not those that turned on him and joined "NARAPHIL"!
If having Roland Dantes, Remy Presas Jr., Demitrio Presas, Rodel Daggoc, Leonard Trigg, James Keating, Richard Ryan, Dr. Brett Jacques, Ron Pierce, and others on the Advisory Board of the World Modern Arnis Coalition makes us "Alphabet Soup", well hell baby, dish me up a big bowl....
In closing, Professor Presas said many times, "Modern Arnis is my business".
We are Professor Presas' students, "mind your own business, Jay de Leon."
Remy Presas concidered Roland Dantes and I, both his "Brother and friend". I had his blessing in Modern Arnis, I doubt if "Jay de Leon" can say the same, Remy never trusted NARAPHIL, NEVER!!
Wish to clarify my statements? e-mail Roland Dantes at, [email protected]
Kelly S. Worden
Today reply was sent by Mr. Jay de Leon to ED
Mr. Worden:
Thank you for the email. I apologize for the late reply; I was out of town.
First, just a few clarifications:
(1) You wrote "Sure didn't take long for the outsiders of Modern Arnis to
drop their agenda motivated thoughts into the recent IKF Magazine."
All I did was to write a letter to the editor expressing my views on a
recent article. What does your sentence mean? Did I respond too quickly?
Pray tell me what my agenda was other than expressing my opinions on what
somebody wrote, which is the same thing you are doing?
(2) After describing your own relationship with RP, you wrote "I doubt if
Jay de Leon (JDL) and Remy Presas (RP) were 'that close'."
But that was precisely my point, sir. RP and I were not complete strangers
to each other. But we were not "that close" either. I described precisely
the extent of our relationship, give or take a seminar.
In fact, the last time I saw and talked to RP was in his Rocklin, CA seminar
in 1997. I mentioned this fact in my original letter to IKF, which they
edited out. So I was not part of the procession of inheritors at his
deathbed asking for his final blessings. Does that diminish my credibility,
or the admiration and feelings I had for RP?
(3) You wrote "His link to NARAPHIL is an insult to RP."
My mention of NARAPHIL was a point of reference, not a matter of pride. In
fact, I became a member of NARAPHIL simply because my Grandmaster (GM), who
was a NARAPHIL officer and tournament official, could not teach me unless I
was (literally) a card-carrying member of the NARAPHIL. I even remember
mailing photos so they could prepare my I.D. I have never met with or even
known any other member of NARAPHIL other than my GM.
I am well aware of the sordid side of NARAPHIL history. But it is
preposterous to heap the sins of NARAPHIL or some elements of NARAPHIL on me
or any other individual. By the way, at some point, my GM and I also became
card-carrying members of offshoots of NARAPHIL, called "Arnis Phil." and
"MAACOP" (I don't remember what the letters stood for). Shall I now gird my
loins for battle against everybody who harbors a grudge against these two
other organizations?
(4) You wrote "I would be hardpressed to believe JDL didn't mean to
disrespect everyone he indirectly buzzed around, 'be they loyalists,
renegades or alphabet soup coalitions'."
Well, yes and no. In plain English, if the shoe fits, wear it. If you are
a self-anointed successor, then yes, shame on you. If not, then I have no
reason and no desire to disrespect you.
The terms "loyalists," "renegades" and "coalitions" were direct quotes from
the author of the IKF article.
Which now brings us to the heart of the matter. The other side of the coin
is, I also paid tribute to whom I thought were the true successors of
RP--the practitioners, guros and grandmasters who are teaching Modern Arnis
in the spirit and tradition of RP. (See last two sentences of my letter to
IKF).
Of course I realize there are many worthy and true Modern Arnis teachers in
the Philippines, here in the U.S. and probably in Europe as well. Of course
I know of MARPPIO, the Presas family, Messrs. Dantes, Inocalla, Dagooc and
their likes in RP, as well as in the U.S. and Europe. I salute them all.
I think you missed a golden opportunity. Instead of launching a diatribe
against me in the Digest, you could have introduced your group and how the
members got together, gave background on the members, and informed Digest
readers what your group is doing to unite, direct or otherwise inspire other
Modern Arnis groups. Also as an example, I would have liked to know more
about Mr. Dagooc, who I believe was a contemporary of my GM but whom I never
met.
In your first sentence, you referred to me as an "outsider to Modern Arnis."
Until RP's death, my students and I considered ourselves part of the
Modern Arnis family, more from sheer admiration and love of RP than
stylistic affiliations. I know that's a stretch because of my limited
relationship with RP. The day I learned of RP's death, I wept, put on my
full Modern Arnis uniform (reserved for official occasions only) to the
dojo, informed my students about the sad news, and dedicated the day's
workouts to RP.
And so I will close with my last piece of unsolicited advice. If you are
indeed the true inheritor, or speak for the inheritor coalition, please take
the high road and reach out for other "outsiders." Remember the original
theme of the IKF article was about filling the void left by RP? I venture
to guess that that's what Remy would have wanted.
Good luck with your new coalition.
Jay de Leon
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Very interesting to read. What is IKF and where can find original letter?
Thank you
