Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Dabet Panelo

ABS-CBN News

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17713100035561771310001583.jpeg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Frenchie Mae Cumpio (R, wearing yellow), a detained Filipino journalist, and her former roommate Marielle Domequil (L, wearing yellow) arrive at Tacloban Regional Trial Court in Leyte island on January 22, 2026, to attend the promulgation of her court case. Jam Sta Rosa, AFP </div><div> </div>MANILA — A Tacloban court has denied the bail request of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and her co-accused Mariel Domequil, who were found guilty of terror financing in January.In a Feb. 13 decision released to the media on Monday, Tacloban Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Georgina Uy Perez denied the duo’s bail request and cited the possibility that they could continue to provide support for terrorist activities. “The seriousness of the offense for which the accused were convicted, raises concern regarding the potential for them to continue to provide support - whether financial, logistical or operational, to terrorist organizations, if they are released on bail,” the decision read.“To the mind of the court, the potential for continued involvement in such activities, weighs heavily against the grant of bail,” it said.The decision also cited the possibility that the accused could flee and use their connections to evade execution of judgement. “Jurisprudence recognizes that the imposition of a heavy penalty naturally increases the incentive to flee, particularly after conviction, when the presumption of innocence has been overcome and the reality of imprisonment becomes imminent,” according to the decision.“The fact that the two accused are connected to various organizations, significantly heightens the risk of evasion. Their affiliations allow access to broader networks, logistical support and financial or material resources, that can facilitate concealment, movement, or escape from lawful custody,” it added. Although the court recognized the wish of Cumpio and Domequil for the court to exercise its discretion and allow them to post bail after conviction as provided in Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, the court leaned towards the state&#x27;s “interest in preventing flight, protecting the community, avoiding undue delay in the execution of a lawful judgment, and preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system.”After the denial of bail, Cumpio and Domequil&#x27;s lawyers have yet to decide on whether to file a motion for reconsideration at the Regional Trial Court or the Court of Appeals, Atty. Julianne Agpalo said in a phone interview with ABS-CBN News. She said their legal team was considering all legal options and assured that the fight for the two&#x27;s freedom was not over.Cumpio, a community journalist and radio broadcaster, is the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/22/journalist-frenchie-cumpio-journalist-found-guilty-of-terror-financing-0943">first Filipina journalist to be prosecuted under the terror financing laws.  </a>The court previously said it was convinced by the testimony of former rebels who said the 26-year-old  Cumpio and her roommate Domequil had provided the New People&#x27;s Army (NPA), a designated terrorist group, with cash, arms and fabric for clothing. Both Cumpio and her advocates have insisted she was a victim of &quot;red-tagging&quot;, in which the government links its critics to the communist forces to silence them.Since the promulgation on January 22, the Tacloban RTC has ordered the transfer of Cumpio and Domequil to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. However, the Tacloban City Jail Female Dormitory cannot be reached to confirm when the order will be executed. A motion for reconsideration of the January 22 decision filed by Cumpio and Domequil&#x27;s lawyers remained pending at the RTC. The case has been closely monitored by human rights groups including Amal Clooney&#x27;s Clooney Foundation for Justice, which in October questioned the lengthy detainment, citing &quot;repeated postponements and slow progress&quot;.UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan had previously said the charges against Cumpio appeared to be &quot;in retaliation for her work as a journalist&quot;.Cumpio and Domequil were arrested in February 2020 on weapons charges, accused of possessing a handgun and a grenade.More than a year later, the terror financing charge, which carried a potential 40-year jail sentence, was added.<div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xl_6seLTAus" title="Court convicts journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, activist Marielle Domequil of terror financing | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

A Tacloban court has denied the bail request of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and her co-accused Mariel Domequil, who were found guilty of terror financing in January.

A Tacloban court has denied the bail request of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and her co-accused Mariel Domequil, who were found guilty of terror financing in January.

Tacloban court denies bail for journalist Frenchie Cumpio

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Tacloban court denies bail for journalist Frenchie Cumpio

Dabet Panelo,

ABS-CBN News,

Agence France-Presse

Published February 17, 2026 02:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Journalist

Bail

Frenchi Mae Cumpio

Tacloban

Terror Financing

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