Modern Arnis, Kombatan, Arnis de Mano: The Brothers Who Shaped FMA

Let’s cut through the noise.

Lately, people have been arguing about the Presas brothers – who created what, who “owns” which name. But here’s the reality: when we talk about history, especially living history, you don’t get to claim authority unless you were there – really there.

So the first question should always be: who’s talking?
And right behind it: how close were they to the source?

Casual encounters and secondhand stories don’t count. If someone barely spent time with the brothers, their version of events is shaky at best. And if they’re repeating what they heard because they weren’t around during the formative years, that’s not history – that’s hearsay.

I watched someone recently try to “set the record straight.” I responded publicly, and not long after, both the post and my response conveniently disappeared. So instead of playing social media games, I’ll give you my perspective – plain, direct, and unfiltered.

I didn’t just meet the Presas brothers. I lived those relationships.

I attended 180 events with Remy Presas alone – that’s well over 1,500 hours on the mat, not counting the travel, the meals, the late-night conversations, and the quiet moments in between. Remy stayed in my home. We shared hotel rooms and long road trips. Ernesto sponsored me for training camps in the Philippines. Roberto and I sat together at the Presas family ancestral home. I helped reconnect the brothers.

That’s not rumor. That’s family.

Now here’s the part many people miss – especially those looking at this through a Western lens.

In Filipino culture, ownership is collective. It lives in the family. It’s not about one person planting a flag and saying, “This is mine.” So when we talk about Remy Presas creating Modern Arnis, we also have to recognize that his brothers were part of that family collective.

That said, let’s be factual.

When Modern Arnis was created, Ernesto and Roberto were kids. As they grew, they contributed, refined, taught, and shaped the art – but the creation of Modern Arnis belongs to Remy Presas. That isn’t disrespectful to say. It’s simply the truth.

And then there are the names – because people love to obsess over names.

Arnis de Mano literally means “harness of hands.” It’s a generic term. I was buying Arnis de Mano patches from Remy back in the 1980s. Ernesto later developed Kombatan. Roberto eventually carried the Arnis de Mano banner forward.

Who used what name first? Honestly, that matters far less than people think.

What matters is the expression of the art.

Remy was the master of single stick.
Ernesto was the double-stick specialist.
Roberto excelled in stick and dagger.

They shared roots, training, and blood – but each evolved into a distinct pillar of Filipino Martial Arts. Arguing endlessly over names misses the entire point.

The brothers loved each other. Like any family, it wasn’t perfect. There were frustrations. I understand them. I was told things privately, and I was trusted with that knowledge – and it will stay with me.

I won’t disrespect the dead or break that trust. I won’t air family matters for clicks or attention. Respect still matters, even if it feels rare these days.

My own father wasn’t perfect. He was a great dad, but he had flaws. That doesn’t mean I broadcast his shortcomings to the world. Truth doesn’t require public humiliation.

So here’s the bottom line – clearly and without apology:

Remy Presas – Modern Arnis
Ernesto Presas – Kombatan
Roberto Presas – Arnis de Mano

They were the three kings of Filipino Martial Arts – to FMA what the Gracie brothers are to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

They’re gone now. And arguing over names won’t honor them.

Carrying the art forward will.

As long as I’m alive, these arts will not die. And if more of us shared that mindset, Filipino Martial Arts – and martial arts as a whole – would be better for it.

That’s how I see it.

Datu Tim Hartman Modern Arnis‘ Tribal Chief