Guro Jun De Leon is the founder and chief instructor of Kali De Leon. Like most traditional arnisadors, Guro Jun’s journey in the martial arts began informally. As a child he was taught by his grandfather Grandmaster Rosendo de Leon, a practitioner of estocada, and by Grandmaster Pinong Mayuga, a training partner and senior student of Grandmaster Ben Lema, the founder of Lightning Scientific Arnis. His formal training began in 1966 under Grandmaster Lamberto Ticsay at Far Eastern University where Guro Jun was a member of the arnis team.  A student of the arts first and foremost, Guro Jun continued to train under some of the best teachers to gain further insight and expertise.  Among the masters he’s trained with are:  Danny Marfal, Eliseo Javelosa , Ernesto Presas and Dan Inosanto. Despite his own accomplishments and recognition, as indicative of his humility, he continues to train with Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje and Guro Rommel Tortal of the Pekiti Tirsia system. Another teacher Guro Jun gives great credit to in developing his art of KDL was the late GM Maning Recto. Unheard of outside his village, GM Recto was famous in his hometown of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental for defeating Moise Padilla in an infamous duel held in 1941. GM Recto was a legend in his hometown and an unsung hero to his country as he also served as a guerilla with the USAFFE during World War II.  

With such a diverse background in martial arts, it should come as no surprise that Guro Jun has developed a curriculum for KDL that is at once innovative yet disciplined, progressive yet based in tradition, and at all times functional. Guro Jun has fostered a family atmosphere in KDL where everyone is relaxed and instruction is easygoing, but at the same time self-discipline is maintained by having respect for the teacher, other students and the art. KDL is also respectful of other martial arts and systems. Guro Jun, like many of his students, has also attained high ranking in other martial arts including karate, judo and wing chun.
Enhancing the family structure of KDL,

To promote the arts, Guro Jun believes it should be every teachers aim to produce other good teachers. Guro Jun’s sincere wish is to produce students and teachers who are every bit his equal and even better. KDL has very high standards. In 30 years of teaching, Guro Jun has only promoted 2 students to the rank of “guro.” 

Guro Romelle Espiritu is KDL’s senior student. Like Guro Jun, Guro Romelle is also a student first and a teacher second. Aside from Kali, Guro Romelle has also achieved high rank in wing chun, muay thai and is currently studying the Chinese internal arts. Guro Romelle also has expertise in the field of human kinetics with his previous background as a professional coach. With an understanding of how the human body functions athletically, and his knowledge of how best to teach movements, Guro Romelle has introduced many innovative drills and insights that have contributed to the development of the Kali DeLeon method. Guro Romelle has also served as an inspiration to younger KDL students.