Martial arts supreme grandmaster Cacoy Cañete dies at 96

The Filipino martial arts community is mourning the death its supreme grandmaster Ciriaco “Cacoy” Cañete who died 8:08 p.m. on Friday at age of 96.

Cacoy, a world famous martial artist, and the last founding leaders of the oldest Eskrima organization in the country, Doce Pares, died at Chiong Hua Hospital, two weeks after he was admitted prostate cancer, which was first diagnosed in 2008, according to grandson Chuck Anthony Cañete.

Chuck said his grandfather underwent surgery and was cured. But the cancer recurred, he added.

Cacoy was survived by six of his seven children, several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His wife Herminia died in 1999 and one of his seven children died also in 2001.

Grand master Catherine Kitty Cañete Knight, executive vice president of Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, said in her FaceBook page, that Caocy was also last of the great original teachers and developers of the unique Filipino martial arts, eskrima, which traced back to the time of Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan chieftain who slain Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

“He was the last of the Mohicans,” she wrote.

Cacoy’s wake will being held at St. Peter’s Memorial Chapel at the New Imus Road in Cebu City from Feb. 6 to 14. Chuck said requiem Mass is set at 1 p.m. on Feb. 15 at San Nicolas Parish before the funeral procession to Queen City Memorial Garden at Don Andres Soriano Avenue, Cebu City.

Cacoy, who held the rank of captain after serving with the United States Army Forces in the Far East during World War II, would be given a 21-gun salute, said Knight in her post.

Chuck Cañete also posted a tribute to his grandfather in his FaceBook wall.

“Papa, thank you for everything. I love you! The ‘kumbati (fight)’ is over. Rest in peace, Papa Cacoy. Missing you already,” wrote Chuck.

“It won’t be the same without you, papa. But I know you are happy now. We will make you proud. That’s a promise!,” said Chuck’s earlier post.