Teams name anti-terror conviction of Cumpio, Domequil a theft of their youth

‘No monetary restitution or acquittal can compensate for the years stolen from Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle Domequil,’ says the School Editors Guild of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Human rights activists and youth teams reiterated their denunciation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 following the conviction of group journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and humanitarian employee Marielle Domequil on Thursday, January 22, saying the ruling has robbed the 2 of their youth. 

Cumpio, 26, and Domequil, 28, have been detained for nearly six years over terrorism financing, and unlawful possession of firearms and explosives expenses. Although cleared of firearms and explosives expenses, they have been sentenced to 12-18 years of imprisonment for terrorism financing. 

Karapatan secretary basic Christina Palabay stated the conviction of Cumpio and Domequil was a “deliberate plot” by the Nationwide Job Drive to Finish Native Communist Armed Battle (NTF-ELCAC) and the Anti-terrorism Council to silence dissent and punish those that have interaction in journalism, humanitarian work, and group organizing.

“For almost six years, Frenchie and Marielle suffered extended detention, a number of circumstances, frozen belongings, and relentless red-tagging, all with out credible and unbiased proof,” Palabay stated. “This conviction treats lies as proof,” she added. 

The School Editors Guild of the Philippines additionally slammed “Duterte’s anti-terror legal guidelines and Marcos Jr.’s proliferation of them,” saying no reparation could make up for the years stolen from Cumpio and Domequil.  

Listed below are the opposite statements from different teams:

Involved Artists of the Philippines

“That is how a tradition of impunity sustains itself: by robbing younger folks of their freedom and prime years, whereas these answerable for systemic plunder, corruption, and abuse proceed to stay comfortably and untouched. The punishment is the method. The cruelty is the purpose, and the norm.”

“The Involved Artists of the Philippines asserts: journalism will not be terrorism. Neighborhood work will not be terrorism. Jail the corrupt, not the truth-tellers! Free Frenchie Mae, free Marielle! Junk the Anti-terror Legislation, free the Tacloban 5!”

Middle for Commerce Union and Human Rights (Philippines)

“Cumpio and Domequil are being persecuted for serving the marginalized, the peasant communities in Japanese Visayas, one of many nation’s poorest areas. They’re victims of the federal government’s conflation of unbiased and demanding voices with the armed insurgency, which it additional conflates with terrorism. In combating the insurgency, the federal government has been undermining Filipinos’ primary freedoms and rights and the nation’s democracy itself.”

“How can the court docket consider witnesses which can be supposedly insurgent returnees however who’re truly captives or below the payroll of the navy or each? This ruling is a nasty precedent for social motion activists and civil society personnel focused with terrorism financing expenses, because it upholds the false accusation that Frenchie Mae and Marielle delivered monetary and logistical help to the New Individuals’s Military on March 29, 2019, the NPA’s anniversary.”

UP Diliman College Freshie Council’s Publish

“Malinaw na ang pa-ulit-ulit na pan-re-redtag ng estado sa mga alagad ng midya na could layunin lamang na maghayag ng katotohanan bilang 4th property ng lipunan — na siyang dapat nagbibigay ng kritisismo sa gobyerno, at sa pagpapanagot sa kanila sa kanilang wantusawang pagpuwersa ng kanilang mga pasismong pamamaraan.”

“Para sa isang midyang malaya at mapagpalaya, patuloy nating ipapanawagan ang defend press freedom. Ang isang tunay na malayang midya ay walang anumang bakas ng panunupil ng estado at ng mga bayolenteng aparato nito.”

(The repeated red-tagging of media practitioners by the state is clearly aimed solely at exposing the reality because the fourth property of society, which is meant to supply criticism of the federal government, and holding them accountable by way of abusive, fascist strategies.

For a free and liberating media, we are going to proceed to name for the protection of press freedom. A really free press bears no traces of state repression or its violent equipment.)

UP Tacloban Volleyball Membership

“Silang dalawa ang konkretong patunay na sinusupil ng estado ang mga estudyanteng matapang na isinisiwalat ang bulok na sistema na mayroon ang Pilipinas. Imbes na gawan ng solusyon ang mga isyung panlipunan na kanilang ipinaglalaban, sila ay tinanggalan ng boses at karapatan.”

(The 2 of them are concrete proof that the state is suppressing college students who bravely expose the Philippines’ rotten system. As an alternative of addressing the social points they combat for, their voices and rights are being taken away.) – Rappler.com