In a concerning move that has drawn international condemnation, a Filipina journalist has been found guilty of financing terrorism and sentenced to at least 12 years in prison. Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a 26-year-old reporter, was arrested in February 2020 after authorities raided her boarding house and allegedly discovered a hand grenade, firearm, and communist flag in her bed.
Rights groups have vehemently argued that the charges against Cumpio were fabricated and that she was “red-tagged” – labelled as a subversive – for her reporting, which was critical of the police and military. Observers note that the targeting of journalists and activists has intensified under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, who waged a bloody war on drugs from 2016 to 2022.
After six years in prison without trial, Cumpio was acquitted of charges related to the illegal possession of firearms and explosives, but was convicted on a terrorism financing charge. She now faces 12 years behind bars, along with her former roommate Marielle Domequil, who received the same sentence.
“We are deeply concerned about the implications of this conviction, considering that there are many other cases, and I would say, trumped up cases, of financing terrorism that are still being prosecuted all over the country,” said Atty. Josa Deinla, one of Cumpio’s lawyers, in an interview with the BBC.
Prior to her arrest, Cumpio regularly reported on abuses by the military and police in the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas region, through articles for news site Eastern Vista – of which she is a former director – and a show she hosted on radio station Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL.
Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, condemned the court’s decision, stating that it “shows that the various pledges made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold press freedom are nothing but empty talk.”
The conviction has been described as a “travesty of justice” by press freedom advocates, who argue that it sends a chilling message that “documenting the struggles of the poor has become a punishable offence.”
The Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries for reporters, according to data from Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Community journalists like Cumpio are especially vulnerable as they find themselves in the crosshairs of long-established political dynasties and warlords.
As the case of Frenchie Mae Cumpio continues to unfold, it serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in the Philippines, and the urgent need to protect press freedom and the rights of those who dare to hold those in power accountable.
