DAVAO CITY — Ten days from now, First Lieutenant April John Dadulla was set to walk down the aisle with his fiancée, a fellow fighter jet pilot.
Their wedding was scheduled for March 15, a carefully planned celebration of love and commitment. However, duty called, and the official mission on the night of March 4 in the hinterlands of Bukidnon tragically shattered the dreams they had envisioned together.
Dadulla, 29 years old, hailed from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. He had dedicated his life to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), driven by an unwavering commitment to defending the country. But beyond his uniform, he was a man deeply in love, excitedly counting down the days to his wedding—a milestone that fate would ultimately deny him.
His elder brother, Lt. Jovenel Dadulla, shared in an interview with Magnum Radio that April John had casually inquired about Bukidnon’s weather conditions two nights before the flight. “I did not know they were set to fly,” his brother recounted in vernacular, unaware that it would be their last conversation.
In a social media post by the pilots’ group Pinoy Aviators, the fallen airmen were identified as Major Jude Salang-Oy and 1Lt. April John Dadulla, both from the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Bulldogs”, under the 5th Fighter Wing. The two pilots were flying the FA-50PH light fighter aircraft (#002) during a midnight air strike operation against the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bukidnon on the night of March 4.
Two other fighter pilots aboard another FA-50 aircraft on the same mission reported losing contact with Major Salang-Oy and 1Lt. Dadulla while en route to their designated target area. Their calls remained unanswered despite repeated attempts to re-establish communication with the missing FA-50 jet.
Both pilots were equipped with Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), designed to emit emergency signals in case of an accident or crash. However, authorities have not confirmed whether any distress signals were received.
Due to security concerns, the PAF withheld the possible location of the pilots and the aircraft’s last known coordinates, as NPA rebels reportedly inhabited the area.
A search and rescue team, including members of the Army’s Special Forces, reached the wreckage of FA-50PH #002 in the mountains of Mt. Kalatungan, Barangay Mirayon, Talakag, Bukidnon, a rugged, forested area in the central part of Bukidnon province, at approximately 1100H (11:00 AM) on March 5, 2025.
Upon arrival, the Special Forces personnel discovered the charred remains of Major Salang-Oy and 1Lt. Dadulla near the crash site. The condition of the aircraft was declared beyond economic repair (BER), meaning it was a total loss.
The FA-50PH fighter aircraft is known for its modern avionics and capability to fly at night. Despite this, the PAF has grounded the remaining eleven (11) FA-50 fighter aircraft while an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. The probe aims to determine whether technical malfunctions, adverse weather conditions, or external factors contributed to the fatal accident.
The loss of First Lieutenant April John Dadulla and Major Jude Salang-Oy has triggered an outpouring of grief from the aviation and military communities. Pinoy Aviators expressed its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen pilots.
Tributes also poured in from the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the 5th Fighter Wing, the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2014, and the Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate School (PAFOCS) Class of 2020.
For First Lieutenant April John Dadulla, the skies were his calling and battlefield. His wedding dress uniform, which he never had the chance to wear as a groom, now stands as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by the country’s defenders. His fiancée, left with a heartache that words cannot mend, now carries the love they shared as a symbol of devotion that transcended even death.
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