The conviction went against a previous decision in October 2025 by the Court of Appeals which voided the civil forfeiture case against Cumpio and Domequil.

MANILA – Alternative media groups and allied organizations held an indignation rally in front of the Commission of Human Rights on Thursday, January 22, 2026, hours after community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay worker Marielle Domequil were convicted for terror financing. They renewed their calls to end impunity and to free all political prisoners.

The court dismissed other charges against Cumpio and Domequil in November 2025. The illegal possession of firearms and explosives were also dismissed by the court January 22, 2026. But they were convicted for terror financing and were sentenced to 12-18 years of prison.

The conviction went against a previous decision in October 2025 by the Court of Appeals which voided the civil forfeiture case against Cumpio and Domequil. According to the CA, the Anti-Money Laundering Council failed to establish the connection between Cumpio and Domequil to the revolutionary groups. To recall, the police requested that the P557,360 ($9,444) amount of cash seized during the raid last February 7, 2020 be forfeited in favor of the government.

Groups said that Cumpio’s case reflects culture of impunity and incessant red-tagging exacerbated by the Anti-Terror Law and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that continues to target people critical of the government.

The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) expressed hope to reverse the decision. “Even when courts later reverse or dismiss these legal actions, the punishment has already been inflicted and the damage irreparable…This conviction, with due respect, therefore demands the highest level of public scrutiny. What is at stake is not only the liberty of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle Domequil, but the safety of civil society actors whose work depends on the freedom to speak, associate, and serve without fear of criminalization.” NUPL said in a statement.

The media members tore copies of the court decision as they denounced the guilty verdict. (AMU, DAA)

Text and photos by Viggo Sarmago/Bulatlat

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