Filipina Journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio Jailed in Terror Financing Case
22nd Jan. 2026
A Filipina journalist has been sentenced to at least 12 years in prison after being found guilty of financing terrorism. As a result, press freedom advocates have described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and a serious blow to independent journalism in the Philippines.
Frenchie Mae Cumpio, 26, was convicted on Thursday by a regional court in Tacloban, central Philippines. Before the verdict, she had already spent six years in detention without a final verdict. Even, she was acquitted of charges related to the unlawful possession of weapons and explosives. But she is still convicted of a terrorism financing case. Similarly, her former roommate, Marielle Domequil, also received the same sentence.
As the decision was read out, the two women reportedly broke down in tears and embraced each other in the courtroom, as a news agency reported. The ruling has triggered widespread condemnation from local and international media organizations, lawyers, and human rights advocates.
Arrest, acquittal, and a controversial conviction of Frenchie Mae Cumpio
Cumpio was arrested in February 2020 after some soldiers raided her boarding house in the middle of the night. Authorities claimed that they found a hand grenade, a firearm, and a communist flag in her bed. However, rights groups consistently argued that the evidence was planted and that she was targeted because of her reporting.
On Thursday, the court dismissed the most serious physical evidence-based charges. Nevertheless, it ruled that Cumpio and Domequil were found guilty of financing terrorism. It’s a conviction that carries a minimum sentence of 12 years behind bars.
“We are deeply concerned about the implications of this conviction”, said Atty Josa Deinla, one of Cumpio’s lawyers. “There are many other cases, and I would say, trumped-up cases, of financing terrorism that are still being prosecuted all over the country”.
He added that the ruling sends a damaging signal to community journalists, who often work outside major media organizations and report from poor or conflict-affected areas. “It’s really the community journalist … that really brings to light the conditions, especially in rural countryside, where the poorest people live”, he said.
Red-tagging and pressure on the press of Philippine
Before her arrest, Cumpio reported extensively on alleged abuses by police and the military in Eastern Visayas through a news site. The news site was Eastern Vista, where she previously served as director, and hosted a radio program on Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL. Observers argue that her case reflects the practice of “red-tagging”.
It is the practice in which journalists and activists were publicly labeled as communist sympathizers or insurgents. This tactic was intensified during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. He led the country from 2016 to 2022 and oversaw a violent campaign against illegal drugs.
Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, condemned the verdict and said: “This absurd verdict shows that the various pledges made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold press freedom are nothing but empty talk”. She added that the ruling “underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting”.
Press Freedom Concerns After Filipina Journalist’s Jailing
Independent outlet Altermidya described the decision as “a miscarriage of justice”, while the International Association of Women in Radio and Television called it “a blatant act of state-sponsored silencing”.
“The conviction of Frenchie Mae for terror financing is a travesty that seeks to legitimize the silencing of women who dare to speak truth to power”, the group said. “This sends a chilling message: that documenting the struggles of the poor has become a punishable offense”. Cumpio and Domequil were part of the “Tacloban Five”. It was the group of five individuals who were charged in the same case. Simultaneously, proceedings against the remaining three defendants are still ongoing.
The Philippines remains one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, according to the Reporters Without Borders. In particular, Community reporters face heightened risks from entrenched political dynasties and armed groups. This is the reality that is underscored by the unresolved dangers highlighted in Cumpio’s case.
Web Resources on Frenchie Mae Cumpio’s Custody and Detention
1. TheGuardian.com: Filipino journalist Frenchie Cumpio found guilty of terror financing
2. BBC.com: Philippine journalist found guilty of financing terrorism
3. France24.com: Philippine journalist found guilty of terror financing
4. Cpj.org: CPJ condemns ‘absurd’ prison sentence of up to 18 years for Philippine journalist