The Detaining of the Tacloban 5

Many human rights groups condemn the conviction of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, church worker Marielle Domeguilmeant and activists Marissa Cabaljao, Mira Legion, and Alexander Philip Abinguna, seeing their jailing as a means to intimidate journalists and activists from being critical of the government.

Here is an excerpt of a statement by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (https://nujp.org/statement-a-partial-victory-and-a-promise-to-keep-figh…):

"The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns the conviction of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay worker Marielle Domequil in the Terrorism Financing case against them...

...Her case has been emblematic of the challenged state of press freedom, and more broadly of freedom of speech and expression, in the Philippines and her conviction does not bode well for the media’s ability to report on the issues that Frenchie did without fear of reprisal and retribution."

Here is an excerpt of a statement by The Committee to Protect Journalists (https://cpj.org/2026/01/cpj-condemns-absurd-prison-sentence-of-up-to-18…):

"The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday condemned the harsh 12- to 18-year prison sentence handed down to Philippine journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio after she was found guilty of financing terrorism, and called on authorities to immediately free her and stop targeting journalists.

'This absurd verdict shows that the various pledges made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold press freedom are nothing but empty talk,' said CPJ Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi. 'Although the journalist was cleared on the charge of illegal possession of firearms, the ruling underscores the lengths that Philippine authorities are willing to go to silence critical reporting. The Philippines must free Frenchie Mae Cumpio without conditions and stop criminalizing journalists.'”

REFERENCES
Here is a statement by Rappler condemning the conviction of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle Domequil
https://www.facebook.com/rapplerdotcom/posts/rappler-statement-oncumpio…

"‘A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE’: Altermidya condemns the guilty verdict on Frenchie Mae Cumpio’s case" a statement by Altermidya
https://www.altermidya.net/a-miscarriage-of-justice-altermidya-condemns…

"Groups Angered By Guilty Verdict Vs. Frenchie Mae, Marielle" by Viggo Surmago for Bulatlat
https://www.bulatlat.com/2026/01/23/groups-angered-by-guilty-verdict-vs…

"Who is Frenchie Mae Cumpio, the iconic Filipino journalist held behind bars for six years?" by Reporter Without Borders
https://rsf.org/en/who-frenchie-mae-cumpio-iconic-filipino-journalist-h…

"Alarming convictions illustrate continuing pattern of abuse of Anti-Terror Laws" by Ritz Lee Santos III for Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org.ph/2026/01/alarming-convictions-illustrate-cont…

"Abuse of Anti-terror Law Persists in Latest Denial of Bail Against Frenchie Mae" by Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org.ph/2026/02/abuse-of-anti-terror-law-persists-in…