* Filipino Journalist Guilty of Terror Financing – Rights Groups Condemn Verdict*
- A young Filipino journalist was convicted of terror financing Thursday after spending nearly six years in jail, a verdict rights groups and a UN rapporteur are calling a...
- Frenchie Cumpio, 26, a community journalist and radio broadcaster, and her former roommate, marielle Domequil, wept and embraced after Judge Georgina Uy Perez of the Tacloban regional court...
- Cumpio's lawyer, Norberto Robel, said outside the courthouse that they will appeal the decision. "Despite this ruling,ther is still a legal remedy and a pending request for bail,"...
A young Filipino journalist was convicted of terror financing Thursday after spending nearly six years in jail, a verdict rights groups and a UN rapporteur are calling a miscarriage of justice.
Frenchie Cumpio, 26, a community journalist and radio broadcaster, and her former roommate, marielle Domequil, wept and embraced after Judge Georgina Uy Perez of the Tacloban regional court sentenced them to 12 to 18 years in prison. They were acquitted on a lesser charge of possessing weapons.
Cumpio’s lawyer, Norberto Robel, said outside the courthouse that they will appeal the decision. “Despite this ruling,ther is still a legal remedy and a pending request for bail,” he stated.
The case has drawn international attention. the Clooney Foundation for Justice questioned Cumpio’s lengthy pre-trial detention in October, citing “repeated postponements and slow progress.”
Here’s what you need to know:
- The Charges: cumpio and Domequil were accused of financing terrorism, allegations they’ve consistently denied.
- The Arrest: Cumpio was arrested in February 2020. Authorities alleged she was a high-ranking member of the New People’s Army, a claim her supporters dismiss as politically motivated.
- Concerns about Due Process: Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of the trial and the prolonged detention without conviction.