Philippines: Murder case against Frenchie Mae Cumpio dismissed

A court has dismissed two cases, including a charge of murder, against jailed community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, with remaining allegations of terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms still pending. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the National Union of the Philippines (NUJP), call for Cumpio's immediate release from prison and the cessation of all baseless charges against her.

Members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) call for the release of jailed journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio on World Press Freedom Day, on May 3, 2023. Credit: NUJP

The Laoang Regional Trial Court Branch 21 dismissed Cumpio's murder charges on November 6, which alleged she joined an ambush against state forces in 2019, due to the "glaring disparity and difference regarding the identity of the person named in the complaint and the person arrested". The complaint was addressed to 'Frenchie Armando Cupio', who was deemed not to be the same person as the detained journalist.

In a separate hearing on October 29, the Court of Appeals reversed a previous lower court decision that froze Cumpio's bank account and obliged her and jailed human rights activist Mariel Domequil to pay a combined sum of PHP 500,000 (approx. USD 8,500) on charges of 'terrorist financing'. The court found no evidence linking the journalist to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) or its military arm, the New People's Army (NPA), stating that, "measures to counter terrorism must not be done without due process, and at the expense of individuals, groups and civil society organisations that are engaged in the promotion and defence of human rights."

Cumpio, who is the executive director of the Eastern Vista news website and a news anchor with Aksyon Radyo Tacloban radio, has served more than five years in jail without conviction since her arrest on February 7, 2020, alongside four other human rights activists, now known as the 'Tacloban 5', in a series of police raids in Tacloban City. Her trial on charges of illegal firearm possession is set to conclude in January 2026 after Cumpio testified in the Tacloban Regional Court on November 11, 2024, with no date set for the second 'terrorist financing' case. If convicted, Cumpio will face between six to 12 years in prison according to the Philippines' firearm regulations and up to 40 years under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2020.

Prior to her arrest, Cumpio would frequently cover alleged abuses of power perpetrated by military forces on Eastern Vista, a news site affiliated with Altermidya, an independent network of media outlets that support coverage of marginalised and underrepresented communities in the Philippines. Cumpio and her colleagues were subject to 'red-tagging', where journalists, activists, union leaders, and human rights defenders are labelled as connected to armed communist insurgent groups, often accompanied by threats, harassment, or attacks.

NUJP said:"These court victories are a testament to the courage of Frenchie, their lawyers and the community that supports them in the face of dubious cases based on questionable testimony. We are resolved to continue the campaign to free Frenchie and ensure that this misuse of the law will not happen to other journalists, activists and rights defenders."

IFJ said:"While Frenchie Mae Cumpio continues to languish in jail, the court's decision in these two cases reinforces their baseless nature as transparent attempts to persecute independent, critical journalism. IFJ continues to stand in solidarity with all targeted journalists and the wider Filipino media community. Cumpio must be immediately released, and all remaining charges must be dropped unconditionally."