BACOLOD CITY – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) announced on Tuesday, May 19, that the parents of Vince Francis Dingding, who was killed in a clash between the military and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Cauayan, Negros Occidental on May 16, have decided not to claim his remains.
In a handwritten letter dated May 18, Dingding’s parents appealed that all matters concerning their son’s death be handled through their barangay captain to spare them further distress.
They disclosed that his mother is undergoing treatment for colon cancer and has been advised to avoid stress to aid her recovery.
“P.S. We decided that we will no longer claim his remains in Negros Occ.,” the letter stated.
The NTF-ELCAC expressed sorrow over the family’s decision, describing it as a painful consequence of armed conflict that not only claimed a young life but also left grieving parents unable to bring their son home.
Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said they are still persuading the family to claim the remains, offering to shoulder transportation costs and coordinate with the local government for assistance.
If the family maintains their decision, the local government of Cauayan will facilitate the burial.
Dingding, known as “Poy,” was a former student leader at UP Cebu and later identified by the Philippine Army as an alleged political instructor of the dismantled South East Front.
He reportedly joined the armed movement in 2017 despite his parents’ pleas for him to surrender.
NTF-ELCAC said his case reflects a recurring tragedy: young Filipinos drawn into armed struggle, leaving families behind to endure grief compounded by hardship.
“Even in the middle of mourning, a family was already struggling to survive another painful battle,” the council noted, referring to his mother’s illness.
The task force reiterated that prevention is key to protecting the youth from recruitment, stressing that once drawn into underground networks, leaving becomes increasingly difficult. (Glazyl Masculino)
