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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday condemned Philippine authorities for refusing to allow its representatives and other press freedom groups to visit jailed journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio during a collaborative effort to advocate for her swift release after more than five years in detention.
The press groups had initially submitted a formal request via the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) to visit Cumpio, who was being held behind bars at the Tacloban City jail in eastern Philippines. However, the MFC’s abrupt decision to block rights groups’ access to Cumpio, despite having previously approved their involvement, marks a concerning reversal that undermines both procedural fairness and the fundamental rights of those seeking to monitor the situation.
After prolonged negotiations with prison authorities, the coalition was allowed only a brief, distant view of Cumpio, obstructed by three layers of prison bars. Cumpio passed a letter addressed to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan through the delegation, and in return received handwritten notes and medication. The delegation that attempted to reach Cumpio included journalists from Reporters Without Borders, Free Press Unlimited, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and the Altermidya network of independent media groups, all who have had to undergo the tedious process of obtaining approvals from the presidential office and the court before being granted an opportunity to visit Cumpio.
In 2020, Cumpio, a well-known community radio broadcaster who routinely covered issues of human rights violations perpetrated by government authorities, was arrested after being accused of illegal possession of firearms and explosives – claims that rights groups argue are unfounded. In July 2021, new charges were levied against her, alleging that she was financing terrorism after authorities stated that they had found money during a raid of her home and office, leading to a possible conviction of a maximum of 52 years in prison. The phenomenon where young human rights activists are targeted for their activism is known as “red-tagging”, where individuals are labeled as communists or terrorists without legitimate justification for their political affiliation.
“Red-tagging” is prevalently used as a tool to silence dissent and criticism of the government in the Philippines, with the Supreme Court of the Philippines declaring it a threat to people’s life, liberty, and security in the 2023 decision of Siegfred D. Deduro v. Major General Eric C. Vinoya. Although Cumpio’s trial began in 2024, almost four years after her arrest, and she had testified in front of the court in March 2025, her unjustifiably long detention before being allowed to exercise the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” is alarming. One of the many activists sentenced under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime, her imprisonment violates Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
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The press groups had initially submitted a formal request via the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) to visit Cumpio, who was being held behind bars at the Tacloban City jail in eastern Philippines. However, the MFC’s abrupt decision to block rights groups’ access to Cumpio, despite having previously approved their involvement, marks a concerning reversal that undermines both procedural fairness and the fundamental rights of those seeking to monitor the situation.
After prolonged negotiations with prison authorities, the coalition was allowed only a brief, distant view of Cumpio, obstructed by three layers of prison bars. Cumpio passed a letter addressed to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan through the delegation, and in return received handwritten notes and medication. The delegation that attempted to reach Cumpio included journalists from Reporters Without Borders, Free Press Unlimited, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and the Altermidya network of independent media groups, all who have had to undergo the tedious process of obtaining approvals from the presidential office and the court before being granted an opportunity to visit Cumpio.
In 2020, Cumpio, a well-known community radio broadcaster who routinely covered issues of human rights violations perpetrated by government authorities, was arrested after being accused of illegal possession of firearms and explosives – claims that rights groups argue are unfounded. In July 2021, new charges were levied against her, alleging that she was financing terrorism after authorities stated that they had found money during a raid of her home and office, leading to a possible conviction of a maximum of 52 years in prison. The phenomenon where young human rights activists are targeted for their activism is known as “red-tagging”, where individuals are labeled as communists or terrorists without legitimate justification for their political affiliation.
“Red-tagging” is prevalently used as a tool to silence dissent and criticism of the government in the Philippines, with the Supreme Court of the Philippines declaring it a threat to people’s life, liberty, and security in the 2023 decision of Siegfred D. Deduro v. Major General Eric C. Vinoya. Although Cumpio’s trial began in 2024, almost four years after her arrest, and she had testified in front of the court in March 2025, her unjustifiably long detention before being allowed to exercise the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” is alarming. One of the many activists sentenced under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime, her imprisonment violates Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The post Philippines authorities block press freedom groups from visiting jailed journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.