2 community workers’ conviction for terror financing affirmed

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March 29, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — A trial court in Tacloban, Leyte has affirmed its earlier ruling finding community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and church worker Mariel Domequil guilty of terror financing.

The Tacloban City Regional Trial Court Branch 45 denied the separate motions filed by Cumpio and Domequil for lack of merit, noting the defendants failed to raise new issues that could warrant the reversal of the ruling.

In an omnibus order issued on Wednesday, Judge Georgina Perez said the defendants were directly involved in the operation of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), which was declared a terrorist organization by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Citing a statement of the prosecution, the court said Cumpio was secretary general of the CPP-NPA’s regional white area committee while Domequil was acting financial officer.

The court cited the testimonies of two former rebels, whom the judge said had no ill motive to testify against the defendants.

“Their testimonies were consistent and credible,” the court said.

Aside from upholding the ruling handed down in January, the court ordered the transfer of Cumpio and Domequil, who have been in detention since 2020, to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines denounced the ruling, saying it “bodes ill for journalists, humanitarian workers and activists in the country.”