Family of ex-student leader killed in Negros clash won’t claim his remains

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The family of slain former student leader Vince Francis Dingding has decided not to claim his remains following the latest armed encounter in southern Negros Occidental, according to a handwritten letter posted by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The letter, dated May 18, said the circumstances surrounding Dingding’s death had caused the family too much distress, particularly his mother, who is reportedly battling colon cancer and has been advised to avoid stress during her treatment and recovery.

In a postscript, the family said they “will no longer claim his remains” and appealed for privacy and proper coordination regarding matters related to their son’s death, adding that all concerns and transactions should be coursed through their barangay official in Capitol Site, Cebu City, to lessen their burden during what they described as a difficult time. The letter was signed by Dingding’s parents, Romulo and Rica.

Tug-ani, the official student publication of UP Cebu, reported that Dingding, from Cebu City, was among those killed during an operation by troops of the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion under the 302nd Infantry Brigade in the hinterland villages of Abaca and Poblacion in Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, May 16.

UP Cebu graduate

A 2016 graduate of the University of the Philippines Cebu with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree, Dingding was known as a student leader during his college years and a consistent presence in campus organizing circles.

He served as 2nd year representative from 2013 to 2014, councilor from 2014 to 2015, and vice chairperson of the UP Cebu Student Council from 2015 to 2016, where he built a reputation within student governance and advocacy networks.

Beyond formal student leadership, Dingding was active in campaigns pushing for accessible education and opposing policies such as the K-12 program, the STFAP/STS tuition system, the pork barrel system, and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). He was also involved in broader youth movements, including anti-pork barrel mobilizations.

For many of his former colleagues, he was remembered as a committed student activist who tied campus issues to wider social concerns such as education inequality, labor struggles, and militarization in rural communities. Friends and fellow activists described him as humble, soft-spoken, and consistently present in mobilizations, even outside the university setting.

The Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante (NKE), his former student organization, said Dingding dedicated much of his university life to leadership and advocacy and “gave his life to the people without asking for recognition in return.”

Civilian killings?

The other fatalities were identified as Jobert Casipong, Gilbert Tingson, Rolando Dantes, and Alex Chavez Languita.

Army Brigadier General Jason Jumawan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said the five suspects were linked to the killing of at least 23 civilians since 2025, including three this year, and were accused of targeting alleged military informants.

Jumawan also claimed Dingding later became a political instructor and deputy secretary of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) South East Front, an armed unit the government had earlier declared dismantled.

He said Dingding joined the underground movement shortly after graduating in 2016, allegedly under the alias “Poy,” and was later assigned across multiple formations, including the Northern Negros Front, Southwest Front, and the Regional Striking Force, before being deployed in southern Negros ahead of the May 16 encounter.

Jumawan further described him as a key ideological figure within the group, saying he served as a political instructor and member of the Komiteng Hukom Tagapagpaganap (KHT).

“He was the doctrine or brain of the NPA, who orders or decides whom to kill and whose properties will be destroyed,” he said, adding that Dingding was “no ordinary” cadre.

The military narrative, however, contrasts with how Dingding is remembered by former classmates and fellow activists, who described him as a quiet, approachable, and deeply committed student leader. For them, he remained a figure associated with humility and sustained engagement in student and social advocacy.

Soldiers reportedly found high-powered firearms from the encounter site, including an M60 machine gun, an M14 rifle, four M16 rifles, an M203 grenade launcher, a grenade, and four backpacks containing personal belongings.

Still a ‘safe’ town

Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara earlier said 162 individuals from 44 families evacuated to Barangay Man-uling after residents heard gunfire in nearby villages, while another 30 families from Barangays Abaca and Poblacion also sought refuge before returning home.

Despite the clashes, Tabujara said he still considered the town “safe” and described the encounter as “legitimate,” citing cooperation from residents.

“The Local Government of Cauayan strongly condemns the violence, intimidation, and disturbance caused by the New People’s Army (NPA) following the recent armed encounters in Barangay Abaca and Barangay Man-uling,” part of the town’s statement read.

He added that stress debriefing sessions were conducted for evacuees, while the military said displaced residents had since returned to their communities.

The most recent encounter in the province occurred nearly a month after a series of armed clashes in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, where 19 people were killed.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said 10 of the dead were NPA members, while human rights groups identified the remaining nine as civilians, including a journalist, researchers, and two Filipino-American peasant workers. The military has consistently rejected this account, insisting all those killed were combatants. – Rappler.com