Terrorism laws like the Anti-Terrorism Law and Terrorism Financing along with the insidious use of military assets to fabricate narratives are weaponized to persecute the likes of Frenchie and Marielle.

Terrorism laws like the Anti-Terrorism Law and Terrorism Financing along with the insidious use of military assets to fabricate narratives are weaponized to persecute the likes of Frenchie and Marielle.

By Veronika Barbosa

CEBU CITY—The legal team of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and church worker Marielle Domequil filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals here on August 3 to overturn the guilty verdict on terrorism financing.

“We’ve submitted a joint appellants’ brief to the Court of Appeals where we delineated the reasons why we believe that the Regional Trial Court in Tacloban wrongly convicted both Frenchie and Marielle,” said Atty. Julianne Agpalo, legal counsel of Cumpio and Domequil.

Agpalo explained that “after the submission of the appeal, the state through the Office of the Solicitor General will be given time to respond to the appellant’s brief we submitted to which we will also respond to. From there, the Court of Appeals will review all documents submitted, then it will decide whether to affirm or, hopefully, reverse the judgment of the RTC in Tacloban”

As convenors of Stand with Samar-Leyte, a network of progressive groups in Eastern Visayas, Agpalo said that Cumpio and Domequil’s works tied to the said network are “lawful and humanitarian and only aimed to alleviate the burdens of the people in the region.”

“Terrorism laws like the Anti-Terrorism Law and Terrorism Financing along with the insidious use of military assets to fabricate narratives are weaponized to persecute the likes of Frenchie and Marielle,” Agpalo stressed.

In a statement, the Free Tacloban 5 Network said that they remain steadfast in their call for the release of Frenchie and Marielle. “We draw strength from Chakoy, Marielle,and Frenchie, and the work they have done for the communities in Eastern VIsayas. We also draw hope from the Court of Appeal’s earlier ruling reversing the Manila court’s decision in the civil forfeiture case [against Frenchie and Marielle].”

“It was such a challenge for us, the families of Frenchie and Marielle, when they were transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women after their unjust conviction but we remain very hopeful and will continue the call for justice for Tacloban 5,” said Kyle Domequil, sister of Marielle Domequil. (DAA)

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