Filipino journalist Frenchie Cumpio found guilty of terror financing in verdict rights groups call ‘absurd’

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseJanuary 22, 2026 at 04:28 AM

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medium article 3 min

Filipino journalist Frenchie Cumpio and her former roommate Marielle Domequil were found guilty of terror financing in a Tacloban court on Thursday and sentenced to 12-18 years in prison, despite being acquitted on a weapons charge. Cumpio, a community journalist, was arrested in February 2020 and later charged with terror financing, which carries a potential 40-year sentence. Rights groups, including the Clooney Foundation for Justice and Reporters Without Borders, have condemned the verdict, calling it a travesty of justice and a blatant disregard for press freedom. Cumpio's lawyer plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that Cumpio was a victim of "red-tagging," where the government links critics to communist insurgents. The Committee to Protect Journalists noted this is the first time a journalist in the Philippines has been charged with financing terrorism.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UN 40% Aleksandra Bielakowska 40% Beh Lih Yi 50% Norberto Robel 50% Irene Khan 50% Reporters Without Borders 60% Georgina Uy Perez 60% Ferdinand Marcos Jr 60% Committee to Protect Journalists 70% Marielle Domequil ×270% Philippines ×390% Frenchie Cumpio ×795%

Keywords

terror financing 100% filipino journalist 90% frenchie cumpio 90% press freedom 80% guilty verdict 70% red-tagging 70% philippines 60% human rights 60% weapons charges 50%