Doce Pares induction of officers today

Eskrima grandmaster Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete and the officers and board members of the Doce Pares World Federation will be inducted into office today at the Doce Pares Club headquarters.

Cacoy will be serving his 19th year as president of Doce Pares after being re-elected last December 30, 2006 at the Doce Pares headquarters in C. Padilla.

The 87-year-old Cañete started to head the Doce Pares Club in 1932.

The other elected officers were 1st vice-president Atty. Amorito Cañete; 2nd vice-president Dennis Cañete; secretary Atty. Bienvenido Jaban; treasurer Ben Gonzales; auditor Bernadette Tormis and PROs Gloria Cañete, Lucio Cañete, Ramil Ayuman of ABS-CBN, SCOOP president Bobby Inoferio and Nimrod Quiñones of The Freeman.

Elected as board members are Gaudencio Caruana, Sensei Max Tian, Emilio Lapurga, Noli Nacua, John Mac, Sol Kalinga, Rafael Mendoza, Raul Bunalos, Levi Mejorado, Danny Serrundo, Nuni Pagud, Rolando Silao, Glenn Cañete, Omar Paolo, Alfred Abarquez, Jr., Edgar Godinez, Romy Plaza, Melchor Tormis, Dante Arcilla, Crisante Dellera, Cacoy's grandson Chuck Anthony Cañete, former scout ranger Melchor dela Sala and Miguel Osmeña, son of Cebu City Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña.

The club's legal advisers are Ret. RTC Judge Epifanio Llanos, RTC Judge Ulric Cañete, RTC Judge Leopoldo Cañete, Ombudsman Primo Miro, Atty. Vicente Fernandez II and Atty. Giovanni Mata.

Named as the spiritual advisers are Rev. Fr. Aloysisus Alojipan, Rev. Fr. Isaiah Gerali and Bro. Nonito Limchua.

Meanwhile, Frans Stroeven, a 47-year-old eskrima instructor from Holland is training under Cacoy to learn more about the Filipino grandmaster.

He had been teaching martial arts for 25 years and his martial arts school, Sekan, had been recognized by the Dutch government being an excellent self-defense institution.

Stroeven said he trusted the style of Cacoy. He arrived here last week with her Filipina wife Leonora from Labangon and three-year-old kid Rowela.