KARAPATAN: End the injustice against the Tacloban 5; drop trumped-up charges vs. Abinguna, overturn wrongful conviction of Cumpio and Domequil
KARAPATAN Public Information
PRESS RELEASE
3 August 2026
Reference: Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general, 09173162831
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk, 09189790580
KARAPATAN: End the injustice against the Tacloban 5; drop trumped-up charges vs. Abinguna, overturn wrongful conviction of Cumpio and Domequil
MANILA, Philippines — Human rights alliance KARAPATAN called for "an end to the continuing injustice against the Tacloban 5," as the scheduled trial today of human rights worker Alexander Philip Abinguna’s over trumped-up murder charges in Laoang, Northern Samar was postponed, while the legal counsels of journalists Frenchie Mae Cumpio and Marielle Domequil file their appeal before the Court of Appeals seeking to overturn their wrongful conviction for terrorism financing.
Abinguna’s hearing before the Regional Trial Court Branch 21 of the 8th Judicial Region in Laoang, Northern Samar, under Judge Noel Sermense, was supposed to be conducted online today, August 3.
While detained, Abinguna was informed that arrest warrants had been issued against him for two counts of double Qmurder and attempted murder—charges that KARAPATAN maintains are trumped-up and fabricated. The cases were allegedly based solely on the testimony of a so-called “rebel returnee” who attempted to link Abinguna to an alleged New People’s Army ambush in October 2019.
Abinguna’s motion to quash the charges was denied, while the same charges against Cumpio were previously quashed by the court.
“The charges against Abinguna, Karapatan’s National Council member, are clearly meant to criminalize his work as a human rights defender. At the time he was supposedly being linked to an alleged armed encounter, Chakoy was engaged in legitimate human rights work. The fact that his work as a human rights worker is being twisted and used to build a murder case against him shows how baseless and fabricated these charges are,” said Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general.
KARAPATAN stressed that the use of the testimony of a supposed “rebel returnee” as the sole basis for such serious criminal charges raises grave questions on the credibility and sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence. The organization called on the court to closely scrutinize the evidence and uphold Abinguña’s rights to due process and a fair trial.
Meanwhile, the lawyers of Cumpio and Domequil are set to file their appeal before the Court of Appeals today, challenging the conviction handed down by the Tacloban Regional Trial Court under Judge Georgina Uy-Perez for terrorism financing.
KARAPATAN maintains that the conviction should be overturned, citing serious questions surrounding the prosecution’s evidence, particularly its reliance on the testimonies of alleged “surrenderees” who were under the protection of the Philippine Army.
The defense and press freedom advocates have raised serious doubts regarding the credibility and reliability of these witnesses, including inconsistencies in their accounts and the absence of documentary evidence supporting the prosecution’s allegations.
In Cumpio’s case, her defense presented emails and social media posts dated March 27 to 29, 2019, which directly contradict the timeline presented by military witnesses. The witnesses claimed that on March 29, when Cumpio was allegedly in Catbalogan, Samar, she received and subsequently “made available” P100,000 supposedly intended to support the NPA.
The related civil forfeiture proceedings further expose the weakness of the prosecution’s allegations. In that case, AMLC lawyer Eraño Dumale testified that, aside from affidavits of specific witnesses, there were no documents showing that P500,000 was intended for terrorism financing.
KARAPATAN said that the absence of concrete evidence in the related civil case makes it even more imperative for the appellate court to thoroughly examine the basis of the criminal conviction.
The organization also pointed to the Court of Appeals’ October 2025 ruling in the related forfeiture case, which found a “dearth of reason to believe” that the respondents-appellants were or are connected to the CPP-NPA.
“This is not simply a matter of technicalities. These cases demonstrate how fabricated allegations, unreliable testimonies, and insufficient evidence can be weaponized to criminalize human rights defenders, journalists, and critics. The courts must not allow unverified accusations to be treated as established facts,” Palabay said.
KARAPATAN called on the Court of Appeals to carefully examine the inconsistencies and evidentiary gaps in the cases of Cumpio and Domequil and overturn their wrongful conviction.
The organization likewise called for the dismissal of the trumped-up charges against Abinguna and an end to the continuing persecution of the Tacloban 5.
“The injustice against the Tacloban 5 must end. Abinguna must not be made to stand trial for a fabricated murder case simply because he is a human rights worker. Cumpio and Domequil must not remain imprisoned on the basis of weak and questionable evidence. We call on the courts to correct these injustices and uphold the rights of the accused,” Palabay said.
KARAPATAN reiterates its call for justice for the Tacloban 5, the dismissal of trumped-up charges against Abinguna, and the immediate and unconditional release of Cumpio and Domequil.
PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publi...@karapatan.org
---------------------------------------------------------------------
#1 Maaralin corner Matatag Sts., Central District
KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign. It was established in 1995.