Pedoys Escrima

Papa Faustino Ablen

Our Master’s Teacher…

To the Americans and Spanish, he was known as a rebel.

To his people of Leyte, he was known as a leader and Holy man.

To the Great Grandmaster, he was known as teacher.

Through cultural perspectives, Faustino Ablen was many things to many people. In history, he is known as the rebel leader of the Pulajanes of Leyte. A spiritual rebel movement in arms against the occupying forces of the Spanish and Americans in the late 1800′s – early 1900′s. Known to his people as “Papa” Faustino Ablen, he was part of a spiritual movement known as Dios Dios, a spiritual sect of holy men, proclaimed healers and deliverers of their people. Preaching throughout the land of Filipino unity and the evil of the occupying forces, “Anting Antings” were magical, spiritual amulets, medallions, and writings that Papa Ablen provided his people before battle and for healing. He was not only known as a healer but also as a fierce warrior. His army of Pulajan warriors was armed with only their razor sharp crescent-shaped bolos with which they could decapitate a man with a single blow and their warrior spirit. The fiercest of warriors of the time matched only by the Moro’s of Mindanao, the Pulajanes brought fear to the soldiers with the battle cries of “Tad Tad” which means “Chop to pieces” as they rushed the regiment lines fearless of the guns knowing of only one thing, drawing blood. The Pulajan Wars (1902 – 1907) saw much bloodshed on both sides and made Papa Faustino Ablen a wanted man. In history, he was captured and judged for leading the rebellion against the Americans and was never heard of since.

It wasn’t until a young boy from Ormoc City who ran away from home and came across a small hut and campfire in the Amandawin Mountains of Leyte. This boy was Great Grandmaster Braulio Pedoy and the man he found was Faustino Ablen. To GGM Pedoy, Faustino was a General of a rebel army who refused to salute and bow down to the American flag. Ablen had told GGM Pedoy that he was in hiding and no one has been able to find him until now and that it must be fate that they had met. Faustino Ablen took in GGM Pedoy and taught him his art of Derobio; a battle tested no-nonsense bladed art form of Escrima. For eleven years, the GGM trained and lived with Faustino Ablen in the mountains of Leyte; as apprentice and master, as it was done centuries before them. Through a grueling test of his acquired skill and knowledge of Derobio; the young Braulio Pedoy was made Master, Ablen sent GGM Pedoy out into the world to learn and spread the art of Derobio to assure its legacy. GGM was told to seek out other Escrimadors and open his heart and knowledge to all forms. Through his travels he met many compadres, and had many battles that tested not only his skill but his spirit as well, in all developing what is now known as Pedoy’s School of Derobio Escrima.

Historical accounts of General “Papa” Faustino Ablen:

www.bibingka.com/phg/religious/default.htm

www.geocities.com/ebjustimbaste/ablen/ablen6.html

www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juriI907/decI907/gr_1-4201_1907.html

www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juril908/augI908/gr_I-4464_1908.html

www.ormocnet.net.ph/OrmocCityl.html

www.bakbakan.comljunglep.html

www.geocities.comlrolborr/pulahan.html

literalno4.tripod.com/waray_frame.html