Mothers, sisters, separation: Frenchie Mae and Marielle’s 6-year struggle

There was food waiting for detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio at home on the day her mother Lhalha thought she was finally going to be free.

It was expected on Friday, January 23, 2026. The day after the promulgation of her terrorism financing, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives cases was going to be her birthday. 

“Anim na taon na hindi siya namin nakasama sa birthday niya…tama na po. Sakto na po ‘yong anim na taon,” Lhalha Cumpio told Rappler on Wednesday, January 21. (It’s been six years of us not being able to be with her for her birthday…That’s enough. Six years is already enough.)

The families of Frenchie and her companion, lay worker Marielle Domequil, gathered for a Mass at the Redemptorist Church in Tacloban City on Wednesday night.

Lhalha prayed the hardest she could, she said, in hopes of seeing her little girl away from the bars that had long separated them. It was Lhalha’s prayer to see Frenchie reunite and play with her three younger brothers once more.

At the church, a short program was held for Frenchie and Marielle. Among those to lead was Lhalha and Marielle’s sister, Kyle.

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Kyle never forgot the day that changed everything. It was imprinted in her mind and she did everything to remember.

February 7, 2020, was the day authorities arrested Frenchie, Marielle, and the rest of the “Tacloban 5” over their alleged illegal possession of firearms and rebel ties. It was the day Kyle lost Marielle.

“Minsan napapahinaan ng loob na kumilos pero sinasabi ko sa sarili ko ‘wag kalimutan — February 7, 2020,” Kyle said. (Sometimes I feel discouraged to take action but I tell myself not to forget — February 7, 2020.)

Promises and pain

The Domequil siblings, Iris, Kyle, and Marielle, share a bond built on promises and pain. This bond they share is called sisterhood.

Kyle told Rappler that even after six years in detention, Marielle still wants to serve the masses, despite the dangers and what she had been through.

“Before, gusto ko na maging doctor. Ngayon, gusto ko maging abogado, maging organizer, community leader, kung ano man ang ginagawa ni Ate Marielle at Ate Frenchie,” Kyle said.

(Before, I wanted to be a doctor. Now, I want to be a lawyer, an organizer, a community leader, whatever it was that Ate Marielle and Ate Frenchie were doing.)

Iris, the youngest of the sisters, admires Marielle and Frenchie so much so that they have participated in several youth-led rallies against corruption at UP Diliman, carrying her sister in her heart throughout every call for justice.

It’s the Domequil sisters’ dream to one day be together in a rally, even if only for a brief moment beyond court hearings and jail visits. 

These dreams are important to their mothers, Marietta Domequil and Lhalha Cumpio. If sisterhood is built on promises and pain, motherhood for them is hoping that promises are kept and pain is swapped with dreams granted.

Unfortunately, these dreams will have to wait a little longer.

On Thursday, January 22, Judge Georgina Uy Perez of Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in Tacloban City sentenced Frenchie and Marielle to 12 to 18 years in prison for terrorism financing.

Separation

At around 9:10 am on Thursday, Frenchie and Marielle stepped out of the courthouse.

Their masks and safety helmets could not hide the tears in their eyes and yet their fists were still raised as they made their exit. 

Lhalha held on to her sons, while Marietta held on to her daughters. As they watched Frenchie and Marielle leave with jail officials, they shouted: “Palayain si Frenchie Mae Cumpio! Palayain si Marielle Domequil! (Free Frenchie Mae Cumpio! Free Marielle Domequil!)

The message was strong: Separated but not defeated.

While they were convicted of terrorism financing, the judge had dismissed the illegal possession of firearms and explosives case against them. 

“Malaking bagay po ‘yong acquittal namin sa firearms and explosives case. Patuloy pa tayong lalaban (The acquittal of the firearms and explosives case was a big thing for us. The fight goes on),” Frenchie said in a video taken by Kodao Productions on Thursday morning.

Kyle carried the same sentiment during a press conference on Thursday, after the promulgation, saying that they had still won a part of the justice they thought was going to be delayed.

“Bilang isang nanay, napakabigat ‘yung nararamdaman na hindi namin siya makakasama (As a mother, it’s such a heavy feeling knowing that we can’t be with her),” Lhalha told Rappler on Thursday afternoon.

Lhalha shared that they had already prepared a birthday surprise for Frenchie at home, but celebration plans had to be put on hold.

The most painful part, the mother added, is that they knew they would not be allowed to visit Frenchie on her grand day as family visitations are not allowed at the Tacloban City Jail on Fridays.

Despite how the mothers felt that day, Lhalha and Marietta still visited Frenchie and Marielle Thursday afternoon, if only to hold their daughters and prepare for future battles.

On her 27th birthday, the sixth one she’s had in detention, Frenchie wrote the poem, Sa Hindi Pagbitaw (On Holding On), originally published on Kodao Productions. The last part of it read:

Muli, salamat (Again, thank you)
Sa hindi pagpapadaig sa pananakot ng mga uhaw (In not succumbing to the intimidation of those who thirst)
At kahit tila hindi sigurado sa araw-araw (And even if uncertain day by day)
Maraming salamat sa hindi pagbitaw (Thank you for holding on).

– Rappler.com