The Union of Journalists of the Philippines – UP (UJP-UP) denounces the conviction of political prisoners Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle “Maye” Domequil on trumped-up charges of terrorism financing today, Jan. 22.

The court sentenced Cumpio to 12 to 18 years in prison, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. This decision comes after six years of prolonged and unjust detention. Earlier charges against Cumpio, including a dismissed civil forfeiture case and a quashed murder accusation, had kept her behind bars for years without sufficient evidence.

While we welcome their acquittal on the fabricated illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges, we maintain that Cumpio, Domequil and the rest of Tacloban 5 should be cleared of all charges.

Cumpio’s six years in prison could have instead been spent serving her community. But our inefficient and ever-unreliable justice system, which punishes those who speak truth to power yet shields those who act against the interest of the Filipino people, continues to deprive her of her freedom to pick up her pen and be of service to others.

Their continued detention exposes, once again, how red-tagging and fabricated charges are used to silence dissent and intimidate the press and human rights defenders. We condemn the system that allows such injustice to persist.

The Union shares UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan’s sentiment that Cumpio’s case is a retaliation for her work as a journalist. With this conviction, the state is setting a dangerous precedent that anyone who dares to challenge injustice can be punished at the whim of those in power

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly promised to prioritize the safety of media workers and ensure their rights to perform their duties without fear of reprisal. Yet throughout his years in office, his administration has repeatedly given journalists every reason to fear that they, too, could be thrown behind bars for simply doing their jobs.

Words mean nothing when journalists on the ground are still at risk of being red-tagged, harassed, imprisoned, or worse, killed. It is high time for those in power to cease their assault on the press.

The Marcos government cannot tout press freedom in this country. Not when it allows for the weaponization of the law against journalists, human rights defenders and activists who hold power to account. Not when protections for press freedom are nonexistent in practice. Not when the culture of fear persists.

Defend Press Freedom! Free Frenchie Mae Cumpio! Free Tacloban 5!