|
By Genfil Q. Villahermosa
Dekiti Tirsia Siradas Kali System is an ancient, authentic and unadulterated Filipino martial arts indigenous from the island of Negros in the Visayan Region of the Philippines This fighting art is very combative with emphasis on stick and bladed weapons as well as empty hand techniques and even firearms. It has been proven effective many times in actual combat particularly during World War II. At present, it is used by many law enforcement and military agencies such as NYPD, (JUSMAG) Joint United States Military Assistance Group of the U.S. Embassy in Manila and Philippine Army Counter Intelligence. Guro Jared Wihongi said "Having been exposed to many Filipino Martial Arts I was impressed by the simple effectiveness of Dekiti- Tirsia-Siradas. I'm not just a textbook Martial Artist either. I use the stuff daily at work as a Police Officer and used it even more when I was a Nightclub Bouncer."
|
|
Grandmaster Jerson 'Nene' Tortal Sr. |
The name of the system came from three words from the Illongo dialect.
| Dekiti translated into the Tagalog dialect is “Malapit” of “Dekit”. In English it means very close or near. Its emphasis is on close quarter fighting in which you cornered the opponent in an area, to close and devastate him. Tirsia means “gua sa wala” or “sa tuo” or quartering in fighting, “pasulod”. It means to push the enemy to a corner or an area with a three-corner side preventing him to escape or runaway from multiple deadly blows and thrusts.Siradas means to stop your opponent from getting in or out, for the opponent not to be able to penetrate in any angle of attack. |
Master Jerson Tortal Jr.
|
Dekiti Tirsia Siradas Kali is the family Martial Art system of the Tortal Clan. Its founder Supreme Master Balbino Tortal learned kali from his father Segundito Tortal and grandfather Norberto Tortal. It was created from the combined expertise of the Tortal brothers, Conrado, Balbino and Francisco It was passed on to them by their father Segundito Tortal and grandfather Norberto Tortal.
|
GM Nene Tortal and Master Jerson Tortal Jr. demonstrated before Filipino local police |
Dekiti Tirsia Siradas founder of Balbino Tortal with wife Barbara |
Conrado Tortal was assigned as Chief of Police of Victorias, Negros Occidental, Philippines during the Commonwealth Period.
Victorias was a sugar plantation town and there were very frequent skirmishes among the Sacadas (sugarcane workers). Using their Espading (a straight, very sharp,medium length, flat and thin blade used to cut sugarcane), they would attack rival Sacadas and even the police. Being in charge of peace keeping, Conrado Tortal frequently relied on Kali to protect lives and property.
Don Gregorio Araneta from Bago City, Negros Occidental invited the famous and the number one bastonero from Panay Island, Tansiong Padilla of Iloilo to a match against Conrado Tortal, elder brother of Balbino Tortal.
|
The match was held publicly during the fiesta of Bago City. The rule was to have both fighters stand on coconut shells and their weapons (stick and dagger) covered with charcoal dust. Anyone marked or stained with charcoal on their shirt will lose. But Conrado was an expert in close quarter knife fighting. He threw an unconventional daga or dagger method of attack that shocked his opponent. Padilla froze for a couple of seconds giving Conrado an opportunity to penetrate. Conrado successfully penetrated the opponent's defense causing Padilla to lose the match.
| Balbino Tortal, younger brother of Conrado Tortal and father of Grandmaster Jerson Tortal Sr, was a member of the National Volunteer Citizens Army.Before the dark clouds of World War II loomed over the Far East, Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, proclaimed the National Volunteer Citizens Army as a response to the growing threat of invasion by the Japanese Imperial Army. |
The Bastoneros, one of the earliest Filipino Martial Arts Clubs |
War broke out and on Feb. 22, 1942 the National Volunteer Citizens Army was absorbed by Crusader Army. When the Filipino-American forces surrender to the Japanese, the Crusader Army continued to fight as a guerrilla force. The Crusader Army was disguised as the religious organization, Moncado Divine Mission to protect the Japanese Imperial Forces.Balbino was a member and an asset to this underground resistance movement under Col. Quirino M. Tolentino, commanding officer of Crusader Army in Negros Occidental Area.
GM Tortal with the Bastoneros |
One very important and significant event took place at the closing of World War II. When Balbino Tortal and his family move to the town of Talisay, Negros Occidental, they encountered a group of Japanese soldiers. The family stopped then the soldiers took Balbino away. But his son Jerson still accompanied him. |
The Japanese officer ordered Balbino to be killed. A soldier thrust his bayonet but Balbino side stepped and evaded it. The officer drew his katana (Samuria Sword) and attacked but Balbino disarmed him and used the katana to attack him and rest the soldiers. Unfortunately during the fight he was trapped among coconut trunks and was shot. Jerson was also attacked but fortunately fell down a deep ravine where the soldiers could not find him. The rest of the family escaped to safety because of the heroism of Balbino Tortal. Grandmaster Jerson Tortal Sr. was born on June 13, 1937. Fondly called “Nene” (Nene was the common nickname for a little girl in the Philippines) because of his small stature but that did not stop him from becoming one of the legendary grandmasters of Kali. He started his training early at the tender age of seven by his father Balbino Tortal and later by his uncles Conrado and Francisco.
 |
GM Tortal in action at Cebu Tournament in 1979 |
Even as a child, Jerson Tortal Sr. fought courageously for his country. During World War II, he accompanied his father, Balbino Tortal, a guerrilla fighter to the many meetings of the Crusader Army, an underground resistance movement against the Japanese Imperial Army in Negros Island. Being a small child, the Japanese did not suspect Jerson performed intelligence for the Crusader Army. He played near the Japanese garrison and befriended them by exchanging wild tomatoes for sugar, all the while gathering information for the underground resistance. He stood by his father to the last minute as they fought the Japanese.
Spreading Kali in the Philippines
Grandmaster Tortal was instrumental in teaching and organizing Kali particularly in Negros Island and in the Philippines in general. He first organized the Bastoneros in 1958, together with Professor Juan Lawan, Seferino Vasques, Leonardo Dionson, Amador Chavez, and other Arnis Clubs in Bacolod City. He mentored many military personnel, private officials and students. The following year his only son Jerson Tortal Jr. was born.
 |
GM Tortal trained hundreds of ROTC Cadets at the University of Sto. Tomas in the Philippines |
Founding the Lapu-lapu (Kali) Club on 1972, he organized clubs throughout the different towns around Negros. The next year he organized the Supreme Kali Martial Arts. Also he organized the first Provincial full contact stick fighting held in West Negros College Gym, Bacolod City in the same year. In 1979, GM Tortal organized the first Kali tournament at West Negros. He also competed in the first national Kali tournament at Cebu and won the Grandmaster championship. In the same year, he was invited to the first Naraphil National Invitation Tournament.
He served as Vice President of the Negros Arnis Association from 1980 – 1982 and then as President from 1983 to the present. During his term, Arnis tournaments were continuously conducted at Bacolod city. He also authored the City Resolution Series 8 of 1986 making the 16th of May Arnis Day in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. On May 1997, he together with his son was featured by Ms. Cory Quirino in a Citiline TV Program of ABS-CBN channel 2. Senator Joey Lina and General Bello awarded him the title of Grandmaster during the International Arnis Tournament at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila.He and his son Jerson Tortal Jr. also trained literally thousands of Philippine Army (ROTC) Cadets from the various universities and colleges around Metro Manila including University of Sto. Tomas, Technological University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal College, Centro Escolar University and New Era University. He was also an instructor for Philippine Army Counter Intelligence and conducted mass training for the Public Safety College at Fort Bonifacio Army Camp (NCR) National Capital Region Makati City,Philippines and the U.S. Marines on duty for the (JUSMAG) Joint United States Military Assistance Group of the U.S. Embassy in Manila.
Spreading Kali throughout the World
Starting 1989, GM Tortal started to be recognized not only in the Philippines but also internationally. A businessman from Sha-Alam Malaysia invited him to teach Filipino Martial Arts. The late Edgar Sulite featured him in his book “Masters of Arnis, Escrima and Kali” as one of the legendary masters. He was also featured in various martial arts magazine including Inside Kung Fu, Blackbelt and FMA. GM Tortal started travelling to the United States yearly to teach Kali at many martial art clubs, law enforcement and military academies including the Essex County Police Academy in New Jersey, Sheriff & Police Groups in Taekwondo School, Marrietta, Georgia, Gold’s gym in Belleville, New Jersey and the NYPD. At present the fame of Grandmaster Tortal and his son continues to rise. They received the prestigious 10th degree black belt and Professorship from the International Circle of Master’s in New Jersey USA. This award propelled them to the same level as the famed Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris.
 |
GM Tortal presents Dan Inosanto with an autographed photo and a"Kampilan" at Inosanto Academy in St. Louis USA |
For more information, please visit the official DTS website at: www.dekititirsiasiradas.org
For trainings and seminars, please call: (63) 920-727-5983 or email us at: kalidkt_tortal@hotmail.com
|
