On January 22, 2026, the Tacloban Regional Court will deliver its verdict on two charges brought against Filipina journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and her co-defendant, human rights defender Marielle Domequil. Cumpio and Domequil have been held in pre-trial detention since February 2020 on charges related to their work. Freedom Now reiterates that they should never have been arrested in the first place. The court should affirm their innocence, release them from prison, and ensure they face no further harassment.
Cumpio is the executive director of the Eastern Vista news website and a local radio news anchor whose reporting focused on alleged human rights abuses perpetrated by the police and military. Domequil is a community organizer with the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and a women’s rights activist. They were arrested in February 2020 during a series of pre-dawn police raids in Tacloban City and baselessly accused of supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing. The government has used this tactic, known as “red-tagging,” to silence independent, critical voices by labeling them as communists, subversives, or terrorists. Three other human rights defenders were arrested in the raid, including Alexander Abinguna, who is being tried separately in an ongoing, frequently delayed process.
In November 2025, a Filipino court ruled to dismiss a parallel civil case brought against Cumpio and Domequil. Another quashed unfounded murder charges that had been brought against Cumpio. In December 2025, the Philippines’ presidential office wrote in a response to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) about Cumpio that it is “dedicated to protecting her rights and upholding due process to ensure a legitimate and lasting resolution.”
The Tacloban regional trial court was initially due to rule on the charge of illegal possession of firearms on January 22 and of financing terrorism on February 9. Citing “significant public attention,” the court has now decided to deliver both verdicts on January 22—the day before Cumpio’s 27th birthday. If convicted, Cumpio and Domequil face up to 40 years in prison.
After nearly six long years, justice is overdue for Cumpio, Domequil, and all the Tacloban 5. They should be released immediately and unconditionally.