Remembering Rene F. Cornel Sensei (1951-2005) by James U. Sy Jr.

Last November 11, 2011 was the 6th year death anniversary of Rene Fujiwara Cornel Sensei who passed away due to a kidney ailment and complications resulting from said illness.

Cornel, a product of the La Consolacion College (LCC)-Bacolod, was Architect IV at the Bacolod City Engineer’s Office and later served as OIC for Building Officials in 2000 to 2002. He was, however, best remembered for his involvement in the martial arts.

Cornel was a prolific martial artist who studied and taught different Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino styles and systems. He held a 1st Dan Black Belts in Karate under Mike F. Vasquez Sensei of the Vasquez Martial Arts Center (VMAC) and Judo under the Philippine Amateur Judo Association (PAJA). He was a 2nd generation judoka at the Paglaum Judo Club and later taught at the Shinsei Judo Club at St. Joseph High School), the YMCA Judo and Sports Club in Burgos St., and the USLS Judo Club at the University of St. La Salle). He learned his Judo and Aikido from Bacolod Judo and Aikido pioneer Patricio “Pat” P. Prologo Sensei (1936-2010). He later became a member of the Ki Society of the Philippines (KISOPHIL) under Philippine Aikido pioneer and Chief Instructor Ernesto “Enie” Talag Sensei and became his representative for Bacolod City.

Cornel Sensei was also a practitioner of the Chinese internal arts of Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua Chuan, and Hsing I Chuan as well as the healing arts of acupuncture, acupressure, pranic healing, and herbal medicine.

He is one of the first four individuals to be promoted by the Founder of Original Filipino Tapado to the rank of Master in 1986. He once served as the Chairman for the Membership Committee of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association in Bago City. He had also studied various Filipino Martial Arts, among them Yaming Arnis under Grandmaster Fortunato “Atong” Garcia (1917-2008).

Rene Cornel Sensei was featured in the book Eskrima: Filipino Martial Art by Krishna Godhania.