By Martha Teodoro

MANILA — Two Protestant church councils in the Philippines condemned the terrorism financing conviction of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay worker Marielle Domequil.

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) issued public statements on January 26 rejecting the conviction and urging its reversal.

In a pastoral statement, the UCCP Council of Bishops (UCCP COB) expressed moral urgency over the convictions of Cumpio and Domequil. Highlighting the role of Carpio and Domequil in serving poor and marginalized communities in Eastern Visayas, UCCP COB condemned the terrorism financing conviction and described it as “fabricated and politically driven” aimed to suppress those who uphold truth, justice, and human dignity.

UCCP COB said that the decision is not just a legal ruling but a “direct assault on press freedom, human rights, and the nation’s moral conscience.” The UCCP COB called on the people to pray for the release of both women, to speak out against the perceived abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Law, and to stand with those facing harassment and persecution for defending justice and human rights.

The NCCP said that Cumpio and Domequil have been detained for years. They reaffirmed solidarity with both women and faith-based communities advocating for their release, stressing that community work and journalism are not terrorism. (RTS, DAA)

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