Detained Journalist Testifies in Landmark Trial

By Juliane Judilla

Tacloban-based community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio appeared as a witness for the first time before the Tacloban Regional Trial Court after more than four years in detention.

Cumpio, along with four activists—Marissa Cabaljao of the People’s Surge coalition; Alexander Abinguna of Katungod-Sinirangan Bisayas; Mira Legion of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Eastern Visayas; and Marielle Domequil of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP)—known collectively as the Tacloban 5, was arrested during a raid in Tacloban, Leyte, on February 7, 2020. They face charges that include alleged violations of Republic Act 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, and Republic Act 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Several media groups expressed support as Cumpio made her first court appearance.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) welcomed Cumpio’s testimony, viewing it as a step toward potential release for the Tacloban 5. In a joint statement with Altermidya, the Pinoy Media Center (PMC), the International Association of Women in Radio & Television (IAWRT), and the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP), the alliance highlighted the case as indicative of the challenges journalists face in the country.

“What happened to Frenchie is a vivid example of the ongoing attacks on press freedom and the increasing lack of accountability for human rights violations against journalists in the country. Exposing the truth, especially the grievances of the oppressed, is not a crime,” the statement read.

“This case also shows how ‘terrorism’ is being used to justify the suppression of free expression. The Anti-Terror Act and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act are being weaponized against critics, activists, and human rights defenders,” it added.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Asia called on the government to release Cumpio, stating that four years is an excessive period to wait before being allowed to present her defense in court.

“CPJ urges Philippine authorities to drop vindictive charges against journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio ahead of her November 11 trial. Cumpio will only now have a chance to defend herself after nearly five years in detention,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ Asia program coordinator.

“This disgraceful travesty of justice must stop. President Marcos Jr. must end the Duterte-era style of media persecution and restore press freedom in the Philippines,” she added.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Panay chapter emphasized that Cumpio’s case illustrates how the state targets journalists for exposing truth.

“Frenchie’s arrest stands as a stark reminder that as long as there are community journalists committed to serving the masses through their reporting, the state will stop at nothing to silence the truth. The government will exhaust all efforts and resources to shut down those who dare speak out,” the guild said.

The CEGP also stressed the importance of solidarity in the push for Cumpio’s release and the freedom of political prisoners.

“We call on all of our colleagues in the media to unite in demanding the immediate acquittal of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and the rest of the Tacloban 5!”

Cumpio is an investigative journalist and director of Eastern Vista, a news site affiliated with Altermidya, a network of independent media outlets in the Philippines. She also hosted a program on Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL, reporting on alleged military and police abuses in Eastern Visayas.

On January 28, 2024, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Irene Khan visited Cumpio in Tacloban City Jail. Khan expressed dismay over the prolonged case and recommended the dismissal of the anti-terror law charges against Cumpio and the dissolution of the NTF-ELCAC.

Cumpio’s next court appearance is set for January 13, 2024.