TRUE ENOUGH, the Philippines is a very dangerous place to become a journalist.
In Tacloban City, a local court issued a guilty verdict against 26-year old community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and dorm mate Maielle Domequil for “terrorism financing.”
They were both convicted to a jail time of no less than 12 years. Press freedom groups however called the sentence a “travesty of justice.
RED-TAGGED
Cumpio, who was arrested in February 2020, was red-tagged and labelled a subversive for her reports criticizing the police and military. Troops raided her boarding house in the middle of the night and allegedly found a hand grenade, firearm, and communist flag in her bed.
Rights groups denounced the “fabricated” charges as Cumpio had been red-tagged, and labelled as subversive for the manner in which she writes her news reports.
Observers say that red-tagging of journalists and activists intensified under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, who waged a bloody war on drugs from 2016 to 2022, reads part of a BBC report.
WITHOUT TRIAL
On Thursday, after six years in prison without trial, Cumpio was acquitted of charges related to the illegal possession of firearms and explosives, but convicted of terrorism financing.
She faces 12 years behind bars and her former roommate, Domequil, was also convicted and handed the same sentence. The two broke down in tears and hugged each other as the court’s decision was read, AFP news agency reported.
“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 Cumpio’s counsel, Atty Josa Deinla to BBC.
DIRE CONSEQUENCE
“The sad reality is that this decision carries grievous consequences for community journalism, because it’s really the community journalist – the ones on the fringes, the ones who don’t belong to the dominant media organisations, that really bring to light the conditions, especially in rural countryside, where the poorest people live.”
Prior to her arrest, Cumpio regularly reported on abuses by the military and police in the Eastern Visayas region, through articles for news site Eastern Vista – of which she is former director – and her radio show hosting on Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL.
Her case has drawn attention from local and international press freedom organizations.
SILENCING MEDIA
Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, condemned Thursday’s court decision.
“This absurd verdict shows that the various pledges made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold press freedom are nothing but empty talk,” she said.
“The ruling underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting.”
Independent media outlet Altermidya’s statement on Thursday morning, condemned the decision as a “miscarriage” of justice — “We are outraged by the clear injustice of the court decision amid glaring evidence that the charges against Frenchie Mae, Marielle Domequil, and the rest of Tacloban 5 are all fabricated,” reads part of Altermidya’s statement.
“The decision is a grave injustice and is a serious peril to the already dire state of press freedom and free expression in the Philippines.”
STATE-SPONSORED
The Philippines’ International Association of Women in Radio and Television also issued a statement following the conviction, describing it as “a blatant act of state-sponsored silencing.”
“The conviction of Frenchie Mae for terror financing is a travesty that seeks to legitimise the silencing of women who dare to speak truth to power, and her sisters from our community of women in media will not rest until she is fully vindicated and her name is cleared of these baseless charges,” the statement said.
“This sends a chilling message: that documenting the struggles of the poor has become a punishable offense,” the group added.
DANGEROUS COUNTRY
The Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries for reporters, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) data, the BBC report said.
Community journalists like Cumpio are especially vulnerable as they find themselves in the crosshairs of long-established political dynasties and warlords.
In 2009, a political clan in the southern province of Maguindanao massacred 58 people, mostly journalists, to stop the clan’s rival from filing an election challenge.
As of 2026, the Philippines has remained a concern for the global watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as the country holds one of the worst records for impunity.
Cumpio’s conviction however appears more like a state repression to silence the local media.
CONDEMNATION
Progressive media group Altermidya Network and human rights watchdog Karapatan also condemned the guilty verdict.
“We strongly condemn the guilty verdict against our colleague, Frenchie Mae Cumpio. While she was acquitted of charges related to the illegal possession of firearms and explosives, it is deplorable that she was convicted of a terrorism financing charge,” Altermidya said in a statement.
“This conviction is a blatant affirmation of how the justice system is being weaponized through NTF-ELCAC’s lies and persecution,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay.
Palabay also said that Cumpio and Domequil “were not targeted because of evidence, but because of who they are and the work they do among the people.”
Lawyer Deinla, who represents both in court, said that they are ready to file a motion for reconsideration on the guilty verdict and a possible motion to set bail, according to Pinoy Weekly.