Pulahan-Derobio Eskrima

THE PULAHANES MOVEMENT

KATIPUNAN ERA > FROM THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION UNTIL PRESENT DAYS

THE PULAHANES MOVEMENT

The Pulahanes (literally "those wearing red" ), also known as Dios-Dios, were the members of a religious revival of Philippine beliefs that developed in the Visayas prior to the Philippine Revolution. At its peak, it numbered around 10,000-15,000 adherents. The movement was severely crippled during the Philippine Revolution after the Philippine Constabulary took over patrols in Samar, when the U.S. military declared the island as "pacified".

Pulahanes practiced a syncretic religious revival centered mostly on Philippine mythology and Folk Catholicism. Individual beliefs include the use of anting-antings as well as the revival of the babaylan.( Indigenous fighting techniqiues such as eskrima were also utilized in the elite and ferocious combat style) They practised a form indigenous martial arts called Derobio Eskrima and they specialize using a heavy, crescent-shaped Bolo knife in their battles. Religious rituals using bottles of holy oil, prayer books such as the Bible, consecrated anting-antings, as blessings before battles.

Americans have described Pulahanes as notorious fighters and are experts in hand-to-hand combat. War cries were also common among their fighters. They have also been described as "lacking in strategy" due to their high casualty figures in battles such as Massacre at Dolores. They have been the subject of many laws passed during the early American colonial period and have often been accused of "banditry".

The Pulahans were more of a religious organization made up of Waray people. "Pula" in Waray means "red"...also in Tagalog. They wore red trousers also, but this organization went as far back as the early 1890s prior to the Philippine Revolution.They have no connection to Aguinaldos "Red Brigade" or Bonifacios Katipunan...the Pulahans were just crazed religious fanatic killers who wore red...not just in their trousers but other clothing as well. Although,we do believe many of them participated in the revolution and Gen Lukban recruited many of them in Samar...They were responsible for the plotting of the Balangiga Massacre. They believed more in their religious sect then anything else...they would go so far as killing women and children. Also, in one US officers report, they mentioned this group had no special tactic or strategic skill, they just exploded out in hordes of bolo rushes. To this day Waray people are considered ruthless fighters.

According to some officers report, these groups would wave a white flag in front of them during battle, "believing" it would shield them from American bullets. But when you really think about it, waving a white flag means you surrender and not to shoot...and when the Americans stopped firing they may have believed the waving of their white flag is working and warding off bullets. As ignorant as these cults were, they were a force to be reckoned with, and most people feared them.

Waving a white flag can mean surrender or a flag of truce to talk. It can be used by both sides. One to say surrender or the other that is surrendering.

But still, it would stop firing from the other side to see what the white flag is about.

This is what everyone knows is the general "rule" in war. Wave a white flag, truce or surrender. But these pulahanes, , did not know that. They were mostly made up of uneducated illiterate high landers who knew nothing of the rules of war. They honestly believed the white flag was there anting anting.

On their white flags there were some inscriptions (and maybe symbols) on it ; according to some other sources. the flags were all white with a red cross in the middle..

As of Jan. 2009, the Siangco Instructors under the Pedoy's School of Escrima has parted ways with the PSE Organization. The San Diego Branch of PSE has closed and the Siangco family has reorganized under a new name and moniker: PULAHAN-DEROBIO ESKRIMA. The doors to our facility in San Diego will be closed as of March 2009 and we will hold selective private sessions only. We hope for much success and blessings for Grandmaster Tyrone Takahashi and his organization, as family will always be family. We hope the FMA community will embrace this change for us and that we find continued support from all of you.

Much Love and Aloha, Mahalo Nui Loa;

Chaz Siangco