Frenchie Mae Cumpio still detained: Press groups denied access to broadcaster

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

MANILA, Philippines — International and local press freedom groups were barred from meeting detained radio broadcaster Frenchie Mae Cumpio during a scheduled visit to the Tacloban City Jail on Monday, June 16.

In a statement, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Cumpio, 26, was only allowed to appear from a distance, separated by three layers of prison bars.

“An RSF representative was permitted to hand her a handwritten letter, and the coalition was able to hand her a package with necessities such as medication. At no point did the prison authorities allow the delegation to enter the premises, even the waiting room,” the group said.

Cumpio was visited by RSF along with representatives from AlterMidya, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Free Press Unlimited, and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

The coalition said that based on separate meetings with Cumpio’s mother and legal counsel, it learned of "serious concerns" regarding her physical well-being and alleged violations of her legal rights.

Cumpio is reportedly suffering from respiratory problems but has not undergone a full medical examination, the group said.

There were also reports that prison authorities had inspected legal documents and recorded lawyer-client meetings, raising fears of potential breaches of attorney-client privilege.

Calls for release. Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Manager, decried the denial of their visit request and reiterated calls for Cumpio's release.

“Her prolonged imprisonment on bogus charges is a deliberate attempt to intimidate the press in the Philippines. We call on President Marcos Jr. and the Secretary of Justice to immediately release her, drop all charges, and bring an end to this injustice at last,” Bielakowska said.

Philstar.com has reached out to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology for comment, but it has yet to respond as of press time.

Background of the case. Cumpio, along with human rights advocates Mariel Domequil and Alexander Philip Abinguna, was arrested on February 7, 2020, during raids on what authorities described as communist safe houses.

She is facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The Anti-Money Laundering Council also accused the group of financing terrorism, alleging that P557,360 seized during the raid was intended to support the New People’s Army.