The Altermidya Network reiterates its urgent call for the immediate release of Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a community journalist and member of our network, who has been unjustly detained for over four years on baseless and politically motivated charges.
Her case, highlighted in the final report of UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan on her official visit to the Philippines in 2024, is emblematic of the continuing attacks on press freedom and weaponization of the justice system against independent journalists.
We agree as well to the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that plays a wicked role in red-tagging media workers, human rights defenders, and civil society actors. The task force has become a nefarious driver of state-sponsored vilification, harassment, and legal persecution of dissenting voices.
Khan’s report confirms what independent media and rights groups have long raised: that red-tagging is not only ongoing but institutionalized. More than 450 red-tagging incidents were documented in the first half of 2024 alone—most attributed to government actors.
This climate of fear is further exacerbated by the continued implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which legitimizes surveillance, arrests, and prolonged detention based on vague and unproven allegations.
Among the most vulnerable are community journalists like Frenchie Mae, who courageously report on the most unreported and underreported cases of human rights violations in the country. Ms. Khan also underscored the injustice of blocking websites of independent outfits, like those of our members Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly.
These journalists face heightened risks for simply doing their job—amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and exposing state abuses.
We support all recommendations put forward in Khan’s report, including the call to dismantle repressive institutions, repeal draconian laws, end impunity, and protect the fundamental rights of those who seek truth and accountability.
The Philippine government must act with urgency—not only to respond to international scrutiny but to uphold its constitutional duty to protect press freedom and ensure justice for all.#
