Journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa arrested on libel charge (updated)
Wednesday, 13 Feb 20197:03 PM MYT
MANILA: Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa has been arrested at her office, in connection with a cyber libel case against her news site Rappler.
According to Rappler, officers from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clad in civilian clothes came to their office on Wednesday (Feb 13) to serve the warrant of arrest.
The news site also said the charges were over an article in 2012, about a businessman's alleged ties to a then-judge in the nation's top court.
Rappler chief executive officer (CEO) Ressa, who was among those named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2018, has repeatedly clashed with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.
CNN, where Ressa had previously worked as a correspondent, reported that Philippine prosecutors filed five cases related to tax evasion against Ressa and Rappler in 2018.
Some of the charges allege that the company failed to declare about US$3mil (RM12mil) in 2015 on tax returns from an investment by the Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar.
The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan-Ifra) and the World Editors Forum (WEF) called on the Philippines to drop the charges, saying that the charges were “appalling”.
“We are appalled by this latest attempt at harassment and intimidation of a critical independent news outlet and its courageous leader,” said Wan-Ifra CEO Vincent Peyrègne.
“Maria Ressa and Rappler have been battling against an increasingly hostile administration for a number of years, yet have defiantly continued reporting into some of the worst abuses of power seen in the Philippines in recent times.
“These fabricated charges are nothing more than a politicised attempt to silence independent journalism and remove accountability from those perpetuating violence and intimidation against their own people.”
If found guilty, Ressa could face a total of 12 years behind bars.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2019/02/13/journalist-and-rappler-ceo-maria-ressa-arrested-on-libel-charge/#VEDHRhusDmfoA2l0.99
