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Thursday, January 13, 2005
Oyson: Enough already on Cacoy-Loloy ‘duel’
By Manuel N. Oyson, Jr.
Counter Punch
IT WAS a duel that never was. That between arnis grandmaster Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete, who is 85, and his former student, Bonifacio “Loloy” Uy, 41.
The followers of the camps of Cacoy and Loloy were in attendance at the Cebu City Sports Center the other day, anticipating a friendly or even bloody confrontation between the two stickfighters. But it was not to be. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña expressed his dislike for the stunt and averted the showdown between master and disciple.
He even went personally to the CSCC before Cacoy and Loloy arrived. He also called me on the phone and told me that my column on Tuesday “aggravated” the situation. But he requested me to go to the CCSC to monitor the event. A Swat team, fully armed, and led by no less than City Police Chief Supt. Melvin Gayotin, descended into the CCSC to prevent the two from actually going at each other at what was announced as a “no-holds-barred” combat.
HEALING. Cacoy and Loloy and lawyer Dionisio “Diony” Cañete were instead ushered into the conference room of the CCSC for a dialogue. In front of TV cameras and the media, Diony and his uncle actually exchanged harsh words, belittling each other’s records and achievements as arnisadors or eskrimadors. To cut the story short, Gayotin prevailed upon the two to cool off and just forget the whole thing, as to go on would not settle anything. How long the entente cordiale would last is anybody’s guess. Cacoy and nephew actually managed to shake hands before stepping out of the room after a 45-minute verbal exchange.
I have written so much already on this and I hope that would be the end of it.
For now, allow me to impart these healing words from someone who happens to be my wife and fellow writer, Dr. Katherine R. Oyson. She has a doctorate in Philosophy and owns a master’s degree in Counseling. She felt outraged when I told her that Cacoy and his pupil almost fought a duel. These soothing words are addressed to both Cacoy and Loloy. Here goes:
“It disheartened me to learn of the aborted duel between grandmaster Ciriaco ‘Noy Cacoy’ Cañete and Bonifacio ‘Loloy’ Uy. Thank God that due to the intervention of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the duel never took place. I strongly believe that no matter how great a student may be, he can never take the place and honor bestowed upon his teacher and master. The student should never forget that he owes his skill and his knowledge to his teacher.
“It would be an inspiring gesture, especially as a model for the young, that one’s teacher should be held with esteem and respect. Humility is a virtue that one must learn to live with. The teacher or master can be a good example not only to the young, but also to others, especially in these volatile times. Humility should be his prime virtue. He is a sage and a master of martial arts. A teacher should never stoop down to the level of his students because he is already in a pedestal.
“He should not accept or entertain any challenge or take umbrage at critical comments against his person or his skill. No amount of insult, snide or underhanded remark should bother him. No amount of maligning him can take away the honor and reputation that he has already attained. He does not have to tell everyone because the whole world already knows. There was this story of a sage who was challenged by his disciple to a duel. To the dismay of his disciple, he kept quiet and never said a word.
“’Master, how come you never accepted the challenge of your student?
Another student asked. ‘You could have beaten him.’ With a smile on his face, the master replied, ‘If I accepted his challenge, I would have stooped down to his level. Besides, it’s like someone giving you a gift and you don’t accept the gift. The gift is still with the giver. His anger is still with him. The student understood and respected the master more for his humility, despite his greatness. ”
SAGE. My unsolicited advice also to Cacoy: You are now a living legend internationally in your kind of martial arts. No one can take that away from you, no matter if others claim a thousand times that everything about you is only make-believe. They will eventually get bored. There is only one “Cacoy” Cañete in the universe. And it is you. Rest on your laurels and let others who envy you fret and stew. You are a sage in your own time. Don’t you forget that.
(mno@sunstar.com.ph)
(January 13, 2005 issue)
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