By Joseph Pimentel
JANUARY 25, 2008
Asianjournal.com
A Pinoy Fighting Master
ALTHOUGH Bruce Lee passed away more
was became known as Lee’s right hand. Bustillo
than 30 years ago, his legacy lives in the hearts
and Inosanto became close friends because of
of a handful of students. One of these students
their shared Filipino heritage. Together they
is FilAm Richard Bustillo.
were known as the “Stockton Pinoy” and “the
Now in his 60’s, Bustillo looks like he’s straight
Hawaiian Pinoy.”
out of a kung-fu flick in the 70s. He may not
Lee advised the two Filipino fighters to revive
have ever appeared in a film but in real life he’s
and promote the Filipino art.
a master in more ways than one. Bustillo holds a
Eskrima
10th degree black belt and holds the title SIFU
During the time Bustillo and Inosanto trained
Grandmaster at the IMB Academy in Torrance,
under Lee, they also practiced Eskrima on the
CA. He is also recognized as being one of two
side. Eskrima is the Filipino art of stick and/or
persons for reviving and promoting Eskrima, the
sword fighting. They soon realized that there
Filipino national martial art.
was a lack of Eskrima instructors in the US.
He credited much of his 40 years of martial
“Back then, there were all these Filipino
arts success to the legendary Lee.
fighters, who were good fighters but fighting
“When I was young I thought I knew
under a different national martial arts,” said
everything,” recalled Bustillo. “But Bruce changed
Bustillo. “So we came together and we wanted
my whole life. He always said ‘knowing is not
to make Filipinos proud of their own culture and
enough, you must apply’.”
heritage and to start developing it.”
And applied, he did.
Bustillo and Inosanto went on a manhunt. They
For the past 30 years, Bustillo has been
began by looking for any Filipino Kali instructors.
inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, the Growing up in Hawaii, he had a luxurious
Inosanto asked around and searched all over
World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, World Karate outdoor life. He knew he could not just focus on
Northern California. Meanwhile, Bustillo asked
Union Hall of Fame, United States Martial Arts one sport.
his family and found more Eskrima instructors
Hall of Fame, and the Filipino Martial Arts Hall of “Boxing is about dedication,” he said. “I didn’t
in Hawaii.
Fame. He’s been honored by the Los Angeles City think I was that good. I loved to box. I loved to
Their perseverance paid off. The two together
Council, the City of Torrance and Cerritos, and a fight but I hated putting the time in training. I
found more than a dozen elder Filipinos willing
large number of other world- wide organizations like to go out and go surfing. I didn’t want to
to share their art.
for his contributions to martial arts. concentrate on one thing.”
Before being contacted, most of the elder
On March, he will reap another award when That is until he met Lee. In 1964, Bustillo was
Filipinos kept their knowledge of Eskrima a
the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation meets among those in attendance when Lee made
secret.
in Cebu, Philippines for their first Hall of Fame is debut and demonstrated his martial arts
“You have to remember in the early days
Banquet Ceremony and International Training style at the Long Beach International Karate
when the Filipinos were being colonized by
Seminar. Championships.
Spain, they were forbade to practice Filipino
Determined “When he [Bruce] said, ‘the individual is more
martial arts,” explained Bustillo. “Anyone caught
Born and raised in Hawaii, Bustillo began important than any style or system,’ I fell for it.
would be executed.”
martial arts training at the age of eight. The son I saw him demonstrate his speed and power. I
“So it was hidden and put in dance form,” he
of a hard working Ilocano and Chinese Filipino said this is the kind of guy I want to learn from.”
added. “It was passed down from father to son.
mother, he learned early on that nothing in life Bustillo wrote to Lee about wanting to learn
And sometimes the father never shared it with
is given. He was one of six kids who grew up in from him. However, Lee at that time was based
the family. He wanted to protect the family and
the projects of Hawaii. in Seattle. Bustillo had to wait three years before
didn’t want them to get hurt.”
“I used to walk six blocks barefoot to the judo Lee opened a martial arts studio in Chinatown
Since then Bustillo has made it a point to add
studio,” recalled Bustillo. Los Angeles.
Eskrima to his martial arts curriculum for his
He studied judo before learning kajukenbo in The wait was well worth it.
students.
high school. Lee’s teaching of Jun Fan Jeet Kun Do and
Even in his ripe age, Bustillo continues to tour
After high school he moved away from life philosophy inspired Bustillo to be a more
the US promoting the teachings of Lee and the
the island to attend college in California. He confident person.
elder Eskrima instructors.
continued to train, this time as an accomplished “He’s the one who told me to express myself,”
He recalls one seminar in which an older
amateur welterweight boxer. He won a few said Bustillo. “Asian people like you and me
Filipino approached him and Inosanto after an
novice boxing championship awards and are really humble but we really don’t express
Eskrima demonstration.
placed second in the Los Angeles Golden Gloves ourselves. You don’t have to show off [but] you
The older man said to Bustillo, “Thank you very
competition. have to learn to express yourself.”
much for showing my son and my grandson our
But the idea of becoming a professional During that time, another martial arts prodigy
Filipino art. For years, they didn’t believe me that
boxer did not intrigue the adventurous Bustillo. was studying under Lee. FilAm Dan Inosanto
we had a martial arts.” (AJ)
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