JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday assured the family of detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and two human rights activists of due process and fair treatment of their cases.
Remulla made the assurance a day after several media groups, led by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, wrote him a letter asking the department to junk the cases against Cumpio and human rights activists Marielle Domequil and Alexander Abinguna.
Remulla said even before the media groups wrote the letter, the department has been aware of the controversy generated by the cases.
Last month, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan visited Cumpio, Domequil and Abinguna in their detention cell in Tacloban City.
Khan also bewailed their long detention.
“It is important to emphasize that the DOJ prosecutors are expected to be objective in their assessment and evaluation of the evidence at hand. We are committed to ensuring that the principles of due process and fair treatment are upheld in all legal proceedings,” Remulla said.
“The decision-making process within the DOJ is guided by a thorough review of the facts, evidence, and applicable laws, with the ultimate goal of promoting justice and the rule of law,” he added.
Remulla also appealed to the public to allow the prosecutors to resolve the case based on evidence.
“We understand the significance of public interest in cases such as this, and we assure you that the DOJ remains dedicated to upholding the integrity of the legal process. We encourage all stakeholders to respect the independence of the judiciary and allow the legal system to function independently in accordance with the law,” he said.
The DOJ chief said the department, as the government’s prosecution arm and enforcer of the criminal justice system, is “hellbent on promoting transparency and fairness.”
The three were apprehended in February 2020 on illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges.
Before her arrest, Cumpio, a journalist of the Eastern Vista media outfit, had also been a victim of red-tagging, harassment and surveillance.
Cumpio was an anchor of the radio program Lingganay han Kamatuuran, Abinguna is a member of the National Council of Karapatan while Domequil was a graduate of the University of the Philippines Visayas campus.
The Philippine Army tagged Domequil as an alleged member of the NPA’s Regional White Area Committee (RWAC-EVRPC) and finance officer of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Eastern Visayas.
Earlier, officials of the DOJ, the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat, and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security assured Khan that the government is doing everything to ensure the safety and welfare of the media while prosecuting to the fullest those who attack them.
