Cumpio’s conviction would set a dangerous precedent for journalists speaking truth to power.
CAGAYAN DE ORO — Two days before the promulgation, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that no other criminal charges are being filed against detained Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio that may prolong her detention at the Tacloban City Jail.
Lawyer Josalee Deinla, NUPL secretary-general, said that the earliest time for Cumpio to be released is on Thursday, January 22, the promulgation day, if she is exonerated from her remaining charges, which are two counts of illegal possession of firearms and explosives and terrorism financing.
Cumpio, who has been detained for nearly six years, has faced a total of one civil case and six criminal charges since her arrest in February 2020. However, in the last quarter of 2025, her camp secured legal victories which resulted in the reduction of her pending cases to two.
Deinla hoped that no more “fabricated” charges would follow, as she recounted experiences of other political prisoners.
“When the state gets wind of information that some of them are about to be freed, or to be exonerated of certain charges, they would fabricate more. So, a new case would crop up,” Deinla said in a press conference held at the UP Diliman College of Media and Communication on Tuesday, January 20.
She cited several possible scenarios on the day of the promulgation. These include the acquittal of Cumpio for both cases, or the other way around. The detained journalist may also be exonerated from one case but convicted of the other one, she said.
Deliberately prolonged
Raymund Villanueva, chairperson of the People’s Alternative Media Network (AlterMidya), said that the Regional Trial Court Branch 45 in Tacloban City, which is a designated anti-terrorism court by the Supreme Court, is not as “burdened” compared to other courts.
He said that the prosecution allegedly prolonged the trial of Cumpio by having its witnesses miss court dates. “There were a lot of postponements,” he said.
Respecting the high court, Deinla expressed disagreement with the policy of designating anti-terrorism courts. She said that the judges of these courts would be exposed to pressure.
“They would immediately be identified. So, the military and other law enforcers would already know who they should surveil and watch over,” she said, adding that it could cause fear in the judiciary.
Emblematic case
Representatives from the international press freedom organizations Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed solidarity with local media groups in calling for Cumpio’s release.
Akriti Saraswat, FPU safety and gender expert, said that the international groups’ visit to the country became a priority as they considered Cumpio’s case as emblematic since it has an impact far beyond the country.
“What happened to Frenchie really affects everyone in the Philippines and everyone outside the Philippines who believes in democratic values. It creates waves in Asia and now more and more globally,” Saraswat said.
Beh Lih Yi, CPJ Asia-Pacific director, said that they are set to release a report on Wednesday, January 21, on the state of imprisoned journalists around the world. The country, she said, will be once again on the list due to Cumpio’s prolonged detention.
If this imprisonment continues, it would be hard for the country to improve its ranking in the Press Freedom Index, said Aleksandra Beilakowska, RSF advocacy manager, stressing that Cumpio’s conviction would set a dangerous precedent for journalists speaking truth to power. (DAA)
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