When United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of expression Irene Khan was doing the rounds of the country in January 2024, she visited the so-called Tacloban 5 led by Frenchie Mae Castro Cumpio at the Tacloban City Jail.
Khan visited the group on January 27 in jail and she checked on the condition of Frenchie, Mariel Alvez Domequil, and Alexander Philip Dizon Abinguna.
According to official reports, Cumpio and four others were arrested in February 2020 on suspicion of being communist rebels, with Frenchie herself allegedly holding then the position of secretary, Regional White Area Committee of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee. Frenchie Mae was 21 years old at that time, and was reportedly a hard-hitting radio announcer and journalist. She worked at the local radio station Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL. She was also the director of Eastern Vista, a news site affiliated with Altermidya, a mass-based network of independent media outfits.
During that visit, the UN rapporteur found out that the Tacloban jail where Cumpio and others were detained had “excellent, clean, and well maintained” facilities.
Official records say that Cumpio and others have been charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives after the Armed Forces said they found two hand grenades, two .45 caliber pistols, ammunition, a flag of the Communist Party of the Philippines and P567,000 in cash. Their arrest was covered by a search warrant from the court.
Five and a half years after their arrest, Frenchie Mae and her companions are still in jail.
Frenchie’s case is again in focus because Irene Khan’s report on the state of press freedom in the Philippines has just be released
In her report, Irene Khan said the Marcos government has indeed done some efforts in ensuring freedom of speech, expression and of the press, but these are not enough to make a meaningful difference.
In other words, the Duterte and Marcos administrations, just like P-Noy Aquino’s and GMA’s, were all remiss in providing the media community and the public enough democratic space in terms of information gathering and dissemination.
Let me point out, however, that the three or so media killings under President Bongbong Marcos was recently increased with the assassination of long-time journalist Johnny Dayang in Kalibo, Aklan, which to this day has not yet been resolved.
Resolving the case of Frenchie Mae is as important as going after, arresting and punishing the murderers of Johnny Dayang and their master.
It is a stupid recommendation—this Khan’s move to ask President Marcos to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). I think this body should be strengthened and maintained to help them do what they are doing.
On the other hand, Irene Khan’s recommendation to decriminalize libel is worthy of our support.
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