The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday it is exploring all possible avenues to assist and repatriate a Filipino from Alcala, Pangasinan, who was captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops.

DFA Assistant Secretary Angelica Escalona confirmed that Raymond Gumangan is considered a “prisoner of war” (POW) in Ukraine, amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, which the Philippines is not a party to, making his repatriation a complex process.

“So, any release or repatriation of a prisoner of war is subject to agreements between parties to the conflict. The same goes for access to prisoners of war,” Escalona said in part in Filipino during a radio interview.

She added that, aside from Gumangan, there are five pending requests for assistance involving Filipinos participating in the conflict.

According to DFA, Gumangan was reportedly deployed with the Russian Armed Forces and was fighting against Ukrainian troops.

The agency has requested assistance for Gumangan from Ukrainian and Russian authorities, as well as from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Escalona expressed confidence that Gumangan is in stable condition, citing international law, which mandates POWs must be protected, treated humanely, adequately housed, and receive sufficient food, clothing, and medical care.

Reports about Gumangan’s involvement follow the death of another Filipino reportedly killed while fighting with Russian forces. Escalona confirmed the fatality but did not release the individual’s name, citing confidentiality.

In November 2025, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged that the United States was recruiting Filipinos for the Ukrainian army with a monthly salary of P300,000. Both the Philippines and Ukraine denied the claim.

Escalona said the exact number of Filipinos in Ukraine is currently unknown due to unverified reports. In a 8 December 2025 post on a Ukrainian government Facebook page, Gumangan said he had left for Russia in September 2024 for employment, but ended up serving in the Russian military and was deployed to fight in the Ukraine–Russia conflict.