Can Cumpio, Domequil post bail in terrorism financing case?

TACLOBAN, Philippines – After nearly six years awaiting a verdict, the lawyers of 26-year-old journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and 28-year-old activist Marielle Domequil are filing a motion to allow them to post bail following their conviction for terrorism financing.

On Thursday, January 22, Judge Georgina Uy Perez of Regional Trial Court Branch 45 in Tacloban City ruled that Cumpio and Domequil were guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 8 (ii) of Republic Act No. 10168 — the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

The judge sentenced Cumpio and Domequil to 12 years, five months, and 11 days of reclusion temporal at minimum, up to 18 years, eight months, and one day at maximum.

They were also made to pay a fine of P500,000. Both of the convicted are to be brought to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.

In a separate decision on Thursday, Cumpio and Domequil were acquitted in their illegal possession of firearms and explosives case.

Why terror financing?

According to the judge, the prosecution was able to establish all elements that constitute a violation of the law identified in Section 8 (ii):

• The offender is not an accomplice or an accessory to the offense.
• The offender makes available any property, funds, financial services, or other related services.
• The recipient of the property, funds, or services is a designated person or organization.

Based on the law, a terrorist or group of terrorists falls under the characterization of designated persons/organizations.

The prosecution used the testimonies of alleged former rebels who claimed that Cumpio and Domequil had delivered funds, ammunition, and tapetas (long pants) to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) during their anniversary celebration on March 29, 2019 in Catbalogan City, Samar.

Both Cumpio and Domequil have denied that they were in Catbalogan City on March 29, 2019. Cumpio said she was in Tacloban City, reporting about the harassment being faced by evacuees in San Jose de Buan, while Domequil said she was at the Makabayan office along Kalipayan Road in Tacloban City.

The judge ruled that despite the denials and alibis of Cumpio and Domequil, the court was not convinced that they were falsely charged.

“Jurisprudence consistently holds that in criminal cases, proof beyond reasonable doubt does not require absolute certainty of the fact that the accused committed the crime, and it does not likewise exclude the possibility of error,” part of the judgment read.

According to the judge, what is only required is that degree of proof which, after a scrutiny of the facts, produces “in an unprejudiced mind moral certainty of the culpability of the accused.”

Bailable pending appeal

Julianna Agpalo, legal counsel of Cumpio and Domequil, told Rappler that they have already manifested their intention to file a motion to request the allowance of bail pending their appeal of the decision.

Agpalo explained that the offense under Section 8(ii) of RA 10168, which carries penalties starting at reclusion temporal, is bailable.

“We have had clients who were able to post bail…Nag-post sila ng bail precisely because wala silang ibang kaso (They posted bail precisely because they didn’t have another case),” the lawyer said.

The problem with the case of Cumpio and Domequil, Agpalo added, is that when the terror financing charges were filed, there was already a pending case for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

“At this stage, after conviction, a person or a convicted person can still post bail. However, it’s no longer a matter of right. Matter of right means you can post bail, no longer needing to seek permission from the court,” the lawyer said.

Agpalo said bail has become “a matter of discretion,” meaning the convicted must seek the judge’s permission to post bail while their appeal is pending.

“If that is essentially granted, ibig sabihin makakalaya si Frenchie at si Marielle kasi wala naman silang non-bailable offense (it means that Frenchie and Marielle can be released because they don’t have a non-bailable offense),” Agpalo said.

Aside from their acquittal for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, Regional Trial Court Branch 21 of Laoang in Northern Samar dismissed on November 6, 2025, murder charges against Cumpio that authorities filed in January 2020.

At present, their lawyers have five days from the judgment to file the motion, and then the prosecution will be given another five days to give their comment from the time the motion is filed.

“We will pursue all legal remedies on the conviction on terror financing. We will file a motion for reconsideration within 15 days and we’ll see how it goes from there,” Agpalo said. – Rappler.com