Journalists and progressive lawmakers have reiterated their demand for the dropping of charges against community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and four other human rights defenders based in Tacloban City.
Human rights group Karapatan assailed the terrorist designation of red-tagged community doctor Natividad Castro per the Anti-Terrorism Council Resolution No. 35.
Detained Tacloban-based community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio celebrated her 24th birthday today with two court hearings over trumped-up cases filed against her.
“While colleagues similarly face legal challenges — from libel to made-up terrorism charges — in relation to their work, we take inspiration from this acquittal that if we stand up and hold the line, we can win,” NUJP stated.
“Silencing valid voices through harassment and intimidation or through arbitrary website blocking weakens discourse and democracy and puts free speech at risk.”
“We vehemently condemn this brazen attack on the youth. This is a conscious and orchestrated attack to deplatform dissent and to silence the critical voice of the youth.”
“With no other case to throw against her and other activists, Anne is charged with fabricated cases restricting her from doing her work as a community journalist and labor organizer.”
“NUJP reiterates its demand for the decriminalization of libel. Defamation laws in the Philippines are inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
“This libel case is an attack on truth and those who wield it to champion peoples’ political rights.”
“We take note of the administration’s commitment, communicated through the OPS, that the government will not forget this heinous crime and hope, along with the families, that full justice will not take another 13 years.”
The CMFR said it was to recognize the alternative news agency’s commitment to “keeping true to the honored tradition of the alternative press, of giving the marginalized and disempowered a voice that can be heard.”