Who is journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio?

After almost six years in detention, journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio on Thursday was sentenced to up to 18 years in prison for terrorist financing, a decision that has been criticized by human rights groups and other organizations.

Who is Frenchie Mae Cumpio?

Cumpio was born on January 23, 1999.

She served as the executive director of independent news outfit Eastern Vista and was an anchor of the radio program Lingganay han Kamatuoran.

At 21 years old, she was arrested along with others during a police raid in Tacloban City in February 2020 over alleged illegal possession of firearms and terrorism financing.

For Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, Cumpio and her former roommate, Marielle Domequil, were targeted not because of evidence but because of their work among the people.

Palabay said Cumpio was reporting on red-tagging prior to her arrest.

“She was reporting on red-tagging, since her radio program was red-tagged, and on illegal searches, especially after the police raids in Negros and Metro Manila,” she said.

According to the secretary general, the two have “suffered prolonged detention, multiple cases, frozen assets, and relentless red-tagging.”

Last year, Cumpio was nominated for “The Courage Prize” by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 

It said that the prize is awarded to journalists, media, or non-government organizations who demonstrate courage in a hostile environment and despite threats to their freedom or safety.

In nominating Cumpio, the RSF said her case was a "grim example" of “red-tagging” in the Philippines. It said that Cumpio “courageously continued to investigate alleged police and military abuses despite repeated intimidation.”

Earlier in the day, a Tacloban court convicted Cumpio and Domequil for terrorist financing, but acquitted them on a lesser weapons charge.

In a separate statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers expressed concern over the decision, pointing out that the Court of Appeals (CA) previously nullified a forfeiture case against Cumpio Domequil.

The appellate court also found that there is lack of reason to believe that Cumpio and Domequil are connected to the New People’s Army.

“The appellate court expressly cautioned against the hasty labeling of human rights advocates as terrorists and emphasized that due process cannot be set aside in the name of national security,” the NUPL said.

“That ruling directly undermines the narrative used to justify the terrorism financing charge and raises serious questions about the basis of the terrorism financing charge,” it added.

It said that it is preparing and will immediately pursue all remedies available to overturn the conviction.—AOL, GMA Integrated News