The family of Domingo Compoc, a New People’s Army (NPA) leader who died in an encounter in Bilar, Bohol a week ago, met each other again recently. But instead of joy, what marked the reunion was sadness as the tragic demise of their patriarch is what brought them together after years of being apart.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Saturday, March 2, that it has facilitated the reunion of Hermosilla Villamor Compoc alias “Ka Aya”, the estranged wife of Domingo, with two of their three children namely Rolly, 32; and Jerylou, 24.
The meet-up was organized by the Visayas Command (VisCom) through its 302nd Infantry Brigade, 3rdInfantry Division weeks after the February 23 encounter by joint military and police units with the remnants of the Bohol Party Committee (BPC) in Sitio Matin-ao, Campagao, Bilar, Bohol. Five rebels died in the incident, including Domingo, the pinpointed leader of the NPA unit.
According to Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, Hermosilla is a former rebel who returned to the folds of the law in 2016. Now residing in Negros Island, Hermosilla went to Bohol to pay her last respects to her husband.
“[She] is now actively helping the peace and development efforts of the government,” Escanillas noted.
Meanwhile, the Domingo children had a difficult life growing up.
According to the AFP, Rolly, the eldest among the three, was only six months old when he was left by his parents to a neighbor. Jingler alias “Keth”, the middle child, chose to be with his father and joined the NPA but died in an armed encounter with government troops in Bilar in September 2023. The youngest, Jerylou, grew up under the care of her grandmother since she was three months old and is now a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) trainee.
The AFP said that it has been several years since the family lived separately “because of differing political beliefs and affiliation.”
Jerylou, according to the AFP, wished that her father would be proud of her as she chose to be with the government by joining the PCG. She graduated cum laude in her BS Political Science course at the Trinidad Municipal College in Bohol and is presently undergoing the Coast Guard Officers’ Course (CGOC) training at the Regional Training Center (RTC) in Bataan.
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said that the organization was aware of Jerylou’s background as a daughter of an NPA rebel. However, he said Jerrylou was still accepted as a recruit since the PCG believes that becoming a public servant paves the way for former NPA members and their families to return to the mainstream society.
“We have similar cases in the past where we have recruits whose parents are members of rebel groups. We deploy them in critical areas in Mindanao. They lead in the conduct of anti-piracy and other maritime law enforcement operations,” Balilo noted.
“Their presence and connection in those areas are a big help especially in Mindanao that’s why we support the youth who want to join the uniformed service to give their families a better future,” he added.
A father’s plea
Meanwhile, the family of Hannah Jay Cesista, the 26-year-old Bar passer who also died in the same encounter with Domingo Compoc, expressed their hurt and resentment on her demise after being recruited by the NPA.
Eutropio Alegre–Cesista could only hope that her daughter would be the last victim of the NPA. He said they worked hard to support Hannah Jay's education and academic venture as he voiced how delighted they were when she passed the Bar examinations in 2022.
“Naabot na, nakatapos ng pag-aaral, nakapasa ng Bar. Parang nasa tuktok na, biglang bumagsak (Our dreams for her were already achieved, she finished her studies, she passed the Bar. It’s as if she was already on top, then it all went south),” Mr. Cesista said.
“Sana hindi mangyari sa inyo. Napakasakit. Walang kasing sakit kasi hindi namin ine-expect na ganoon ang magiging end sa anak ko, sa pinakamamahal kong anak (I hope this never happens to you. It hurts. I could not comprehend how painful it is because we did not expect that’s how my beloved daughter’s life would end),” he added.
He said he was not angry at the government, but at the organization that her daughter joined – the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).
Hannah Jay hailed from Catubig, Northern Samar. She completed her preparatory course for law at the University of the Philippines - Cebu in 2017 and finished her law degree at the University of San Carlos thereafter.
The AFP said that Hannah Jay was a member of the Anakbayan-Cebu and a representative of the NUPL-Cebu before she joined the NPA's Bohol Party Committee (BPC) in 2020.
“Sana ito na maging huli, huling biktima ang anak ko kasi napakasakit. Walang kasing sakit ang nadarama ng tulad ng nadarama naming (I hope this would be the last, my daughter would be the last victim because it hurts. I cannot describe how painful it is),” Mr. Cesista said.