"Alarming and dangerous." That was how human rights advocates described a decision by the regional trial court in Tacloban City delivering a sweeping verdict finding community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and humanitarian worker Marielle Domequil guilty of "financing terrorism."
Judge Georgina Perez Uy of Regional Trial Court Branch 45 handed down the ruling, convicting both women under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act for allegedly providing cash and material support to the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in 2019.
The court sentenced them to an indeterminate prison term of 12 years, five months, and 11 days to 18 years, eight months, and one day each.
The verdict concluded proceedings that began with the February 7, 2020 arrest of Cumpio, 26, and Domequil, 28, along with three others in a high-profile police raid in Tacloban City.
Originally charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, those counts were dismissed by the court, which acquitted the defendants, a move that has been highlighted by supporters who argue the remaining conviction rests on weak evidence.
Cumpio was executive director of Eastern Vista, a grassroots media outlet in Eastern Visayas, and a radio broadcaster known for reporting on alleged abuses by military and law enforcement in the region.
Meanwhile, Domequil worked as a lay humanitarian worker before her arrest. Both have consistently denied the accusations, calling the charges politically motivated and tied to their reporting and community service.
Outside the courthouse on January 22, Cumpio and Domequil briefly embraced as the judgment was read, their supporters visibly shaken by the outcome. Riot police erected barriers, restricting access to the court grounds amid heightened tensions.
Human Rights Groups Condemn Ruling
The verdict was swiftly condemned by human rights and press freedom organizations who described the conviction as a “miscarriage of justice” and a dangerous precedent for journalists and civil society workers in the country.
A coalition including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and other advocacy groups were present in court to witness the decision.
“We are appalled by this verdict,” said RSF Asia-Pacific advocacy manager Aleksandra Bielakowska, arguing that evidence presented by the defense showed the case was built on flawed and unsubstantiated claims.
CPJ’s Asia-Pacific director Beh Lih Yi labeled the sentence “absurd” and urged Philippine authorities to free Cumpio immediately, saying the ruling underscores “the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting.”
Local rights alliance KARAPATAN also blasted the decision, accusing the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Anti-Terrorism Council of orchestrating a campaign to suppress dissent and legitimate humanitarian work under the guise of national security.
Legal Options and Next Steps
Defense attorneys signaled plans to file a motion for reconsideration, explore appeals, and possibly seek bail as they review the written decision. Supporters and organizations have pledged continued legal and advocacy efforts, framing the case as emblematic of broader challenges facing press freedom and human rights defenders in the Philippines.
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