By Rev. Homar Distajo, Promotion of Church People’s Response spokesman
The Promotion of Church People’s Response expresses deep concern over the travesty of justice regarding the Regional Trial Court’s conviction of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay community worker Marielle Domequil for alleged violations of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
As a country, we profess a strong belief that the youth are the hope of our nation. Why, then, are Marielle and Frenchie — who fully devoted their time, talents and skills to serving the people — being persecuted?
The glaring fact that the two were acquitted of the very charges used as a pretext for the “dead of night” raid on Feb. 7, 2020 — namely, illegal possession of firearms and explosives — makes it abundantly clear that they were targets of lawfare by militarist state forces. The courts and the NTF-Elcac (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) have weaponized terrorism legislation to discourage those working for justice and to silence those speaking truth to power. Only in their early 20s when arrested, these young women chose a path of servanthood, focusing their lives on helping the poor stand up for their rights. Frenchie and Marielle were organizing, working and teaching communities to demand services from a corrupt government.
After six years, the court finally ruled that Frenchie and Marielle were not guilty of the original illegal possession charges. Unfortunately, a second charge was filed against them while they were already in detention: “terrorism financing.” This stemmed from a cash box containing P557,360 found during the raid — funds not included in the original search warrant.
While the government belatedly filed a forfeiture case for these funds, the Court of Appeals in October 2025 denied the forfeiture, citing insufficient factual and legal basis. The decision stated:
“The Court cannot countenance the hasty labeling of human rights advocates as terrorists and the speedy confiscation of their funds and property in the name of national security. Measures to counterterrorism must not be done without due process, and at the expense of individuals, groups, and civil society organizations engaged in the promotion and defense of human rights.”
Given this, how is a criminal conviction for “terrorism financing” sensible? Our nation suffers from systemic injustice, corruption and the plunder of natural resources. It is an outrage that the law is weaponized against those who help the marginalized.
Yet, despite this, hope flourishes. Youth like Frenchie and Marielle continue to side with the poor, picking up the cudgels for justice and reinvigorating activism in relevant ways. We must keep speaking up for them. They are unjustly detained — victims of a State that punishes the youth not for criminal acts, but for activism and for caring for their kapwa.
Free Marielle and Frenchie! Defend the youth!