By Julliane Nicole Labinghisa 

Human rights and media groups condemn the guilty verdict against journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, citing attacks on press freedom after being charged with terrorism financing beyond ‘unreasonable doubt’ last January 22. 

Tacloban City Regional Trial Court Branch 45 Judge Georgina Perez acquitted Cumpio of illegal firearms possession but sentenced her to 12 to 18 years of prison and a ₱500,000 fine for terrorism financing. 

Cumpio was among the five individuals arrested on February 7, 2020 in Tacloban City, alongside activists Marielle Domequil, Alexander Philip Abinguna, Mira Legion, and Marissa Cabaljao—collectively known as the ‘Tacloban 5.’ 

Media groups condemn

Following Cumpio’s arrest, various human rights groups staged protests with calls to #FreeFrenchieMae, highlighting the delays and slow progress of her case. 

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television shared in its statement that Cumpio had been subjected to surveillance for months before her arrest, relating her case to harassment toward journalists. 

Additionally, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines highlighted that her arrest is part of the government's move to silence free exchange of ideas, including the media as an “enemy of the state” in their statement released last February 7, 2020. 

In 2025, coalitions of journalists and human rights groups, Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalists among others, urged the immediate and unconditional release of Cumpio. 

Cumpio’s detention is perceived as an attack on press freedom by multiple groups, citing irregularities and threats to media personnel and activists. 

“Frenchie and Maye [Marielle Domequil]’s resolute choice to serve the Filipino people—bolstering their activism from the academic spaces to the repressed communities of Eastern Visayas—directly dismantles the state’s disoriented narrative of red-tagging, coercion, and sham ‘anti-terrorism’ campaign,” College Editors Guild of the Philippines asserted in their unity statement released last January 22. 

Cumpio’s case has also gained attention from the international community, following the ‘slow progress’ of the case which is labelled as a ‘travesty of justice’ by the UN rapporteur. 

Additionally, Committee to Protect Journalists Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi condemned the ‘absurd’ ruling, urging the government to free the journalist. 

“Although the journalist was cleared on the charge of illegal possession of firearms, the ruling underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting,” the director stated. 

With calls for the release of Cumpio and other detained community journalists, various groups staged a protest in front of the Department of Justice in Manila last January 21, a day before the release of Cumpio’s verdict. 

Case progress

Prior to her arrest, Cumpio was the Eastern Vista news website executive director and a radio news anchor for Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL, wherein she reported alleged police and military abuses in Eastern Visayas. 

During her arrest in 2020, she and Domequil were accused of allegedly possessing a handgun, grenade, and ₱557,360 in cash. 

The journalist was imprisoned for nearly six years without trial after being charged with illegal firearms possession and terrorism financing. 

However, several groups, such as Reporters Without Borders, called out the investigation, citing inconsistencies in the testimonies and claiming that charges toward Cumpio are fabricated and inhumane. 

This can be seen in the testimony given by Marjie R., who claimed that she gave Cumpio and Domequil money and ammunition in the presence of a New People’s Army member in 2019. This then raised doubts with her past statement where she claimed that she began seeing Cumpio regularly since 2008. The journalist was born in 1999.

The sworn statements given by the witnesses had no tangible evidence to support the claims, nor were they consistent. 

It can be traced back that Cumpio was able to give her first-ever testimony, four years after her detention, during AlterMidya’s 10th anniversary celebration last November 11, 2024. 

Moreover, Cumpio’s defense lawyer, Norbeto Palomino, shared that they would seek bail for Cumpio’s temporary liberty while filing an appeal for the conviction. 

Meanwhile, Domequil received the same sentence as Cumpio, Abinguna is still awaiting trial, and Legion and Cabaljao were released after bail. 

(Photo by Melvin James Urubio/FEU Advocate)