CAGAYAN DE ORO — Representatives of local and international media watchdogs spent over an hour negotiating with the Tacloban City Jail Female Dormitory in the Eastern Visayas region to visit detained community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio on Monday, June 16. 

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Asia-Pacific regional director Beh Lih Yi said they filed their request, supported by the Media Freedom Coalition, six weeks before their arrival, but were still refused to enter the jail facility due to “further documentary requirements.” 

Yi also shared that CPJ made repeated requests in the last two years to visit Cumpio, but has never been successful.

She stressed that Cumpio, detained in the last five years, should not be denied visitation rights given as she has not yet been convicted of any crime.

“This is a humanitarian prison visit because [Cumpio’s] case is really entering a very crucial stage right now,” Yi said in a press conference on Monday in Tacloban City.

She explained that Cumpio’s case has been listed as one of the 10 most urgent press freedom cases in the world.

Read: CHR asked to probe restrictions on detained journo’s visitation rights

Representatives from the Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific Bureau, Free Press Unlimited, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), and People’s Alternative Media Network (Altermidya) joined CPJ in the visitation attempt.

The visitors were forced to exchange words of solidarity to Cumpio and fellow detainee Marielle Domequil through prison gates and bars.

Cumpio, executive director of alternative news organization Eastern Vista, was arrested in February 2020 over alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives and terrorism financing charges along with Domequil of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Marissa Cabaljao of the People Surge Network, Mira Legion of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Eastern Visayas, and Alexander Philip Abinguna of Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas, 

Read: UN expert assails continued detention of Frenchie Mae

The CPJ official stressed that their latest failed attempt will not discourage their campaign for Cumpio’s freedom.

Aleksandra Bielakowska, Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific Bureau advocacy manager, pointed out that Cumpio is the only detained journalist in the Philippines.

NUJP chairperson Jonathan de Santos meanwhile said that Cumpio’s continuing detention is one of 177 cases of media attacks under the Marcos Jr. presidency. (RBV)