TACLOBAN CITY — Lawyers representing detained Tacloban-based community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay worker Marielle Domequil have filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals questioning the denial of their bail application in a terrorism financing case.

In the petition, lawyers from the National Union of People's Lawyers argued that the decision of Georgina Uy-Perez of Regional Trial Court Branch 45 constituted a grave violation of the two activists’ constitutional rights to liberty, due process, and meaningful appellate review.

Judge Uy-Perez earlier dismissed Cumpio and Domequil’s joint motion for bail on 13 February, as well as their motion for reconsideration on 25 March.

The two are currently detained at the Correctional Institution for Women.

In their petition, the camp of Cumpio and Domequil argued that the judge “acted with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of discretion” and that there was “no appeal, nor any plain, speedy, and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law.”

“Instead of assessing whether the evidence of guilt against them was truly strong, the court merely relied on its own judgment of conviction despite the fact that the decision remains under appellate review and has not attained finality,” the NUPL said.

Cumpio and Domequil have consistently maintained their innocence, asserting that the charges form part of what they described as a broader pattern of harassment, red-tagging, and criminalization against journalists, activists, humanitarian workers, and human rights defenders.

The lawyers’ group also pointed to earlier rulings acquitting the two of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, saying these contradicted government claims portraying them as threats to public order and national security.

The NUPL further cited a previous Court of Appeals ruling reversing a civil forfeiture case against the pair, which it said showed that funds found in their possession were not linked to terrorism financing.

“These judicial findings expose the weakness of the state’s case and underscore the substantial and meritorious nature of their pending appeal,” the NUPL said.

The group added that the continued detention of the two for what it described as a bailable offense harms constitutionally protected freedoms, including press freedom, humanitarian work, and civic participation.