De Campo 1-2-3 Original (also known as De Campo Orihinal, 1-2-3 De Campo Orehenal, De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal) was developed by Grandmaster Jose D. Caballero, a native of Toledo, Cebu. At a young age, Caballero was already enamored of watching arnis matches during town fiesta celebrations, wherein he observed the tactics used by a wide variety of arnisadors. The most popular event was dubbed “Juego Todo”, an all-out stick fight with no armor. Injury or death were the only outcomes of this brutal event. Above is a list of names he defeated during his prime.
Grandmaster Caballero strove to develop a style with superior techniques that would not easily be countered by other practitioners. When he turned 18 in 1925, he formally named his style as “De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Original” and proceeded to become the undefeated Juego Todo champion of his era. Unlike other arnis legends, there is a list of arnisadors whom Caballero vanquished. His De Campo techniques were further complemented by his skill in woodwork, which allowed him to customize his fighting sticks. He was also known to have dabbled in oraciones, or special spells written in Latin on religious accessories. Oraciones purportedly granted powers to the wearer, including but not limited to healing, invincibility, invisibility, and astral travel.
Caballero’s fame spread far and wide; soon enough, arnisadors avoided Juego Todo events whenever he registered his name on the combatants list. Later on, as a family man who needed to sustain twelve children, he participated in Juego Todo matches in other parts of the country, feeding the family with the prize money he collected. He also conducted private arnis lessons to students interested in learning De Campo. Two of his sons, Manuel “Mawe” and Savaldor “Badur” Caballero, followed in their father’s footsteps.
De Campo 1-2-3 Original (also known as De Campo Orihinal, 1-2-3 De Campo Orehenal, De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal) was developed by Grandmaster Jose D. Caballero, a native of Toledo, Cebu. At a young age, Caballero was already enamored of watching arnis matches during town fiesta celebrations, wherein he observed the tactics used by a wide variety of arnisadors. The most popular event was dubbed “Juego Todo”, an all-out stick fight with no armor. Injury or death were the only outcomes of this brutal sport. Above animation is a list of names he defeated during his prime.
Grandmaster Caballero strove to develop a style with superior techniques that would not easily be countered by other practitioners. When he turned 18 in 1925, he formally named his style as “De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Original” and proceeded to become the undefeated Juego Todo champion of his era. Unlike other arnis legends, there is a list of arnisadors whom Caballero vanquished. His De Campo techniques were further complemented by his skill in woodwork, which allowed him to customize his fighting sticks. He was also known to have dabbled in oraciones, or special spells written in Latin on religious accessories. Oraciones purportedly granted powers to the wearer, including but not limited to healing, invincibility, invisibility, and astral travel.
Caballero’s fame spread far and wide; soon enough, arnisadors avoided Juego Todo events whenever he registered his name on the combatants list. Later on, as a family man who needed to sustain twelve children, he participated in Juego Todo matches in other parts of the country, feeding the family with the prize money he collected. He also conducted private arnis lessons to students interested in learning De Campo. Two of his sons, Manuel “Mawe” and Savaldor “Badur” Caballero, followed in their father’s footsteps.
As a young man, Grandmaster Manuel “Mawe” Caballero, son of the founder, joined the military and fought against insurgents in areas such as Basilan, Mindanao. Later on, as a family man, Mawe taught De Campo via one-on-one sessions to complement his earnings as a bodyguard for the town Mayor in Toledo. He won second place in the NARAPHIL tournament conducted in Cebu City, and earned the distinction of wanting to fight without any protective gear. He was also known to have inherited his father’s skill.
GM Mawe is the most kind-hearted person you would have easily got along with when he was still alive. He passed away on May 1, 2017.
He used to live in Malaubang, Ozamiz in Misamis Occidental and trained diligently with his father. But there was an incident wherein his brother was killed, shot in the bathroom. He heard the shot and waited for the gunman to come out. With knowledge in hand to hand combat, he was able to disarm the gunman and there and then he did what any brother could have done. He was sent to the municipal hall for inquisition but, Mawe, knowing he would not get a fair trial, decided to dig his way out of the place, overnight. He then went to travel to Ibo, Toledo in Cebu where his Aunt still lives. He lived with his Aunt for a while and trained his cousin Romero “Dodong” Lebumfacil Nillas together with one of his best friends Ramir Guabez. Ramir would recall how confident Mawe was when it comes to his skills. There was one time a local resident of Ibo waving a bolo and picking a fight with anyone he sees. Mawe decided to disarm the guy, and he did, successfully, without harming the fellow.
Another incident was when he was working as a bouncer in a local bar. Three men were causing trouble. Mawe naturally intervened. According to witnesses, it was almost like a scene in a movie where Mawe was thrown a stick and he started striking the men. With compassion, he hit them with lower strikes. No broken bones or anything, just enough to neutralize them. The doctor who tended to those three men was astounded by the numerous bruises in their lower extremities.
As a young man, Grandmaster Manuel “Mawe” Caballero, son of the founder, joined the military and fought against insurgents in areas such as Basilan, Mindanao. Later on, as a family man, Mawe taught De Campo via one-on-one sessions to complement his earnings as a bodyguard for the town Mayor in Toledo. He won second place in the NARAPHIL tournament conducted in Cebu City, and earned the distinction of wanting to fight without any protective gear. He was also known to have inherited his father’s skill.
GM Mawe is the most kind-hearted person you would have easily got along with when he was still alive. He passed away on May 1, 2017.
He used to live in Malaubang, Ozamiz in Misamis Occidental and trained diligently with his father. But there was an incident wherein his brother was killed, shot in the bathroom. He heard the shot and waited for the gunman to come out. With knowledge in hand to hand combat, he was able to disarm the gunman and there and then he did what any brother could have done. He was sent to the municipal hall for inquisition but, Mawe, knowing he would not get a fair trial, decided to dig his way out of the place, overnight. He then went to travel to Ibo, Toledo in Cebu where his Aunt still lives. He lived with his Aunt for a while and trained his cousin Romero “Dodong” Lebumfacil Nillas together with one of his best friends Ramir Guabez. Ramir would recall how confident Mawe was when it comes to his skills. There was one time a local resident of Ibo waving a bolo and picking a fight with anyone he sees. Mawe decided to disarm the guy, and he did, successfully, without harming the fellow.
Another incident was when he was working as a bouncer in a local bar. Three men were causing trouble. Mawe naturally intervened. According to witnesses, it was almost like a scene in a movie where Mawe was thrown a stick and he started striking the men. With compassion, he hit them with lower strikes. No broken bones or anything, just enough to neutralize them. The doctor who tended to those three men was astounded by the numerous bruises in their lower extremities.
Master Jomalin Caballero, the eldest son of Grandmaster Mawe Caballero, began learning his family’s art, De Campo 1-2-3 Original, at the age of 12 under the guidance of his father. Over time, he became his father’s teaching assistant, carrying forward the family’s martial legacy.
Affectionately called JongJong by those close to him, Jomalin was born on August 26, 1987, just two days after his grandfather, the founder Jose Caballero, passed away. While Jomalin’s early passion was basketball, his father’s persistence led him to fully embrace and cherish their family’s martial art.
When Grandmaster Mawe fell ill, Jomalin stepped up to lead the teaching of De Campo, passing on the curriculum created by his grandfather in 1925. He now continues to honor his family’s legacy by teaching De Campo to students who seek to learn the powerful techniques of their system.
For several decades, Maestro Paolo has dedicated himself to the study and teaching of Filipino Martial Arts, now with a strong focus on De Campo 1-2-3 Original.. As Training Director, Maestro Paolo teaches core principles of the art both in-person and online, ensuring that students grasp the deeper concepts of the system.
With a commitment to preserving the art’s essence, Maestro Paolo works alongside Master Jomalin and certified instructors worldwide, to spread De Campo globally. He leads immersive events, such as the De Campo 100-year summit, designed to strengthen the De Campo community and share its legacy.
Maestro Paolo’s passion for teaching is rooted in his humility and belief that martial arts is a lifelong journey of learning and sharing knowledge.
