SOLIDARITY | Members of various media groups gathered outside the Department of Justice on Jan. 23, 2024 to call for the release of Tacloban-based journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and two other activists. (Photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla assured the public on Thursday that state prosecutors would objectively examine the case of Tacloban-based journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and two other activists.
“We understand the significance of public interest in cases such as this, and we assure you that the DOJ [Department of Justice]remains dedicated to upholding the integrity of the legal process,” he said in a statement.
On Wednesday, media groups asked the DOJ to review and dismiss the charges against Cumpio and human rights advocates Mariel Domequil and Alexander Philip Abinguna. All three have been detained in a jail in Tacloban for the past four years on nonbailable terrorism-related charges.
In a letter addressed to Remulla, Altermidya Network, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), and College Editors Guild of the Philippines cited the recommendation of United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan, who personally met with the three detainees in Tacloban during her recent 10-day visit to the Philippines.
Khan noted how Cumpio, Domequil, and Abinguna have been “languishing in prison” for years as they await the resolution of their cases.
“Justice delayed is justice denied, and I trust that my visit will encourage the relevant authorities to either review the cases and dismiss the charges as unfounded or to speed up the trials with full due process,” she said.
‘Hellbent’ on transparency
Remulla emphasized that the DOJ was “hellbent” on advancing transparency in tackling cases as the government’s prosecution arm and enforcer of the criminal justice system.
“The decision-making process within the DOJ is guided by a thorough review of the facts, evidence and applicable laws, with the ultimate goal of promoting justice and the rule of law,” he said.
Remulla called on stakeholders to “respect” the independence of the judiciary and “allow the legal system to function independently in accordance with the law.”
Cumpio was arrested in 2020 during a series of raids by the military and charged with illegal possession of firearms.
Before her arrest, she wrote for the online alternative news site Eastern Vista on issues like land reform and displacement, farmers’ killings in Eastern Samar, inequality, and other topics related to human rights, among others.
The NUJP cited a fact-finding mission that showed the evidence against her was planted while the charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives were baseless.