He was famed for winning countless duels and street encounters, as well as taking up arms as a guerrilla fighter against the invading Japanese forces during World War II.
Other notable students include Rey Galang, Christopher Ricketts, Romeo Macapagal, Henry Espera and Norman Suanico.
His life and art were featured in the book titled Filipino Martial Culture by Mark Wiley.
The same author included a section on Kalis Ilustrisimo in Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice.
Two of his most prominent students, Antonio Diego and Christopher Ricketts, published The Secrets of Kalis Ilustrisimo in the United States, with a foreword by Wiley.