KARAPATAN: Free Alexander Philip “Chakoy” Abinguña, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Marielle Domequil!

[KARAPATAN Public Information]

PRESS RELEASE

February 6, 2026

Reference: Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general, 09173162831
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk, 09189790580

KARAPATAN: Free Alexander Philip “Chakoy” Abinguña, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Marielle Domequil!

Human rights alliance KARAPATAN and alternative media groups marked the sixth year since the arrest and detention of the five activists in Tacloban City, in a protest in front of the Department of Justice as they denounced the continued detention of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and humanitarian worker Marielle Domequil, who were unjustly convicted of terrorism financing, and Alexander Philip Abinguna, whose several cases have yet to be decided by the courts.  

On February 7, 2020, joint elements of the police and military raided offices of people’s organizations in Tacloban City, using questionable search warrants, after KARAPATAN publicly raised the extensive surveillance of its office in the city, as well as that of other organizations. This operation resulted in the unjust arrest of Alexander Philip “Chakoy” Abinguña, a member of KARAPATAN’s National Council, community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines lay worker Marielle Domequil, People Surge Network spokesperson Marissa Cabaljao, and Mira Legion of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Eastern Visayas – collectively known as the Tacloban 5.

“Six years of detention on bogus charges is already a grave injustice for Cumpio, Domequil, and Abinguna. While the acquittal of Cumpio and Domequil affirmed the baselessness of the accusations against them, they were subjected to injustice twice by their subsequent wrongful conviction on terrorism financing charges. Enough is enough of these attacks that they have endured for the last six years," said Palabay.

On the other hand, Abinguna, who was national council member of Karapatan at the time of their arrest in 2020, remains in jail due to snail-paced court proceedings. "Abinguna has been in jail for almost a whole term of a Philippine president, a long time when he could have continued his work in documenting cases of human rights violations in the region," said Palabay.

Abinguna's arrest happened days after he just prepared a letter to the regional Commission on Human Rights regarding the surveillance of suspected State agents in the vicinity of Karapatan’s office in Tacloban City, sounding off fears about possible illegal police and military raids in the houses and offices of people's organizations. Abinguna said this was a part of the crackdown against rights defenders in Eastern Visayas under Duterte's Memorandum Order 32.

“The case of Abinguna and the rest of the Tacloban 5 exposes the policy and practice of filing trumped up charges against activists using defective search warrants, planting of evidence, and perjured testimonies of military assets and witnesses for hire – a pattern that has become more pronounced under the Duterte and Marcos Jr. regimes – as well as the State’s tactic of keeping them under unreasonably prolonged detention,” added Palabay.  

KARAPATAN expressed support for the motion for bail filed by Cumpio and Domequil, emphasizing that their prolonged imprisonment while appealing a wrongful conviction constitutes further punishment and a continuing violation of their rights. The counsels of Cumpio and Domequil filed a motion for bail yesterday at the Tacloban City Regional Trial Court.

“We hope more that the support from communities of journalists, fellow rights advocates here and abroad will resonate with the courts. This, as we denounce continuing rights violations and political repression under the Marcos Jr. government, which has made justice more evasive for victims. The Tacloban 5 do not deserve a day more in jail, ever. Free the Tacloban 5 now!” Palabay ended. #

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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.