Baesa leads impressive RP stint in pencak silat

Filipino fighter Emmanuel Baesa bagged a gold medal in the tanding (fighting) category to lead the Philippine team’s impressive showing in the recent first Asia Pacific pencak silat championship in Singapore.

Baesa triumphed in the 60-65 kg category, beating campaigners from 11 other countries, including eventual overall champion Vietnam.

The Filipinos also won four silver and three bronze medals, according to Philippine Pencak Silat Association president Sultan Jamalul Kiran III.

The silver winners were Emma Tianchon, 50-55 kg, tanding; Abdulkarim Abad, men’s solo, seni (artistic) category; Donabel Gelera, women’s solo, seni; and Adzhar Abdurasad, Vivencio Donguez and Christopher Yabut, men’s trio, seni.