Philippines: ahead of a landmark trial, RSF calls for the release of detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who could face up to 40 years in prison
Detained in provisional custody for the past four years, Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio is scheduled to appear in court on 11 November. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is urging the Philippine government to immediately drop the trumped-up charges against her, which could lead to up to 40 years of imprisonment.
On Monday, 11 November, investigative journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio is slated to appear before the regional court in Tacloban, a city in the eastern Philippines, after being held in detention for over four years on unfounded charges.
Frenchie Mae Cumpio was arrested in February 2020 for alleged “financing of terrorism” and “illegal possession of firearms”, charges that carry up to 40 years in prison. The circumstances of her arrest were deeply concerning: the military claimed to have found a gun and a grenade when they raided her home, yet investigations by human rights organisations state that the military fabricated this evidence in order to incriminate her.
Frenchie Mae Cumpio is an investigative journalist and director of Eastern Vista, a news site affiliated with Altermidya, a network of independent media outlets committed to “promoting stories of marginalized people” in the Philippines. She also hosted a radio programme on Aksyon Radyo-Tacloban DYVL, where she reported on abuses committed by the military and police in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.
“Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who reported on abuses committed by the military, is obviously targeted by a strategy that seeks to deter all Filipino journalists from investigating taboo topics. As Cumpio’s landmark trial for alleged ‘terrorism’ approaches, we call on the Ministry of Justice to drop all charges against her without delay.
Her case highlights the disturbing “red-tagging” practice in the Philippines, used to label journalists as “subversive” or even “terrorists” when they cover issues deemed sensitive by the government. Despite months of threats and intimidation, Frenchie Mae Cumpio persisted with her investigations until her arrest.
With 204 murders documented since democracy was restored in 1986, the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists and defenders of press freedom. The archipelago ranks 134th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
