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Journalist convicted after six-year detention without trial
Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a 26-year-old Filipino reporter, was sentenced to at least 12 years in prison on Thursday for terrorism financing, a verdict press freedom advocates are calling a "travesty of justice." Cumpio, detained since February 2020, was acquitted of illegal firearms and explosives charges but found guilty of funding terrorism.
Arrest and allegations of fabricated evidence
Cumpio was arrested during a nighttime military raid on her boarding house in Tacloban, where authorities claimed to find a hand grenade, firearm, and communist flag in her bed. Rights groups dismissed the evidence as planted, alleging she was "red-tagged"-a practice of labeling critics as subversives-for her reporting on police and military abuses in the Eastern Visayas region.
Her former roommate, Marielle Domequil, received the same 12-year sentence. Both women wept and embraced as the verdict was read, according to AFP.
Criticism from press freedom groups
International and local organizations condemned the ruling as an attack on independent journalism. Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, called the decision "absurd" and accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of failing to uphold press freedom pledges.
"The ruling underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting."
Beh Lih Yi, Committee to Protect Journalists
Altermidya, an independent media network, labeled the verdict a "miscarriage of justice" and warned it would further endanger community journalists, particularly those covering rural poverty.
Broader crackdown on dissent
Cumpio's case is part of a pattern of "red-tagging" that escalated under former President Rodrigo Duterte's administration (2016-2022). Observers note the practice has continued, targeting journalists and activists who challenge state narratives.
The "Tacloban Five"-Cumpio, Domequil, and three others-were charged together. Their cases remain unresolved, raising concerns about due process.
Impact on press freedom
The Philippines ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders. Community reporters like Cumpio, who lack institutional protections, face heightened risks from political elites and armed groups.
"This sends a chilling message: that documenting the struggles of the poor has become a punishable offense."
International Association of Women in Radio and Television
Cumpio's legal team vowed to appeal, calling the charges "trumped-up" and warning of broader consequences for marginalized voices in media.
