Philippines: WPF Hails Court Victory for Maria Ressa and Colleagues as Rappler Shutdown is Overturned
Independent news outlet led by the Nobel Laureate was ordered to shut down in 2018
Location: Philippines, Manila
Date: August 9, 2024
Women Press Freedom welcomes the court ruling in the Philippines reversing the shutdown order of Rappler, a digital news outlet co-founded by Nobel Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa. Known for its critical and independent journalism, Rappler has been a beacon of press freedom in a country where media rights have been under siege. This ruling represents an important victory for press freedom in the Philippines, a nation that has witnessed severe crackdowns on journalists. As we celebrate this landmark decision, we urge the Philippine government to uphold press freedom, drop all pending cases against Rappler and Maria Ressa, and allow independent media to operate without fear of persecution.
For years, Rappler and its CEO and co-founder Maria Ressa have faced relentless legal battles instigated by the Philippine government, primarily due to their coverage of former President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.
In 2018, the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ordered the shutdown of the media outlet Rappler, accusing it of violating constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership.
On July 23, 2024, a Philippine court overturned the SEC's decision, a verdict made public on August 9, 2024. The Court of Appeals reinstated Rappler’s operating certificate, ruling that the SEC had committed a “grave abuse of discretion.”
The court further clarified that Rappler Holdings, and by extension Rappler, are fully owned and managed by Filipinos, in compliance with constitutional mandates.
Reacting to the verdict, Ressa expressed her relief on X (formerly Twitter): “8 years of harassment … And today, a decision #HoldTheLine.”
Rappler held a press conference following the court’s decision, urging the Philippine government to stop filing appeals and end the legal harassment. “Please stop appealing. We’ve had eight years of harassment… Even though we’ve won the five tax evasion charges, they’ve, again, filed it. They’ve appealed it,” Ressa stated during the conference.
Continued Legal Harassment of Rappler and Maria Ressa
Despite ongoing legal challenges, Rappler has persevered in its mission, continuing its operations while facing numerous unfounded accusations, including tax evasion, libel, and constitutional violations.
In a particularly drawn-out legal battle, the Bureau of Internal Revenue accused Rappler of failing to report consumption tax data in 2015, leading to five separate cases against the outlet and Ressa. However, in January 2023, the Court of Tax Appeals dismissed these charges, deeming them baseless. The final tax evasion case was resolved in September 2023, with Ressa and Rappler acquitted by a court in Pasig City.
Currently, two legal cases involving Rappler and Ressa remain unresolved: a cyber libel case involving a 2012 article and an Anti-Dummy Law case. Women Press Freedom, along with fellow press freedom and human rights advocates, believes these cases are yet more politically motivated attempts to suppress critical and independent journalism.
Women Press Freedom is elated by the courts decision to reinstate Rappler’s license. Kiran Nazish, the founding director of the Coalition For Women In Journalism, congratulated Ressa and the Rappler team on X, saying: “What a long road, but ultimately a victory for #PressFreedom, thanks to the defiant and necessary work that went into this … as Maria would say, ‘#HoldTheLine.’”
We now call on the Philippine authorities to let press freedom flourish and to allow critical media platforms like Rappler to operate without fear of retaliation. No journalist or news organization should be persecuted for their honest and truthful work, particularly in a democracy where justice and the rights of the people should be paramount. We urge the courts to end the legal harassment of Ressa and Rappler, to refrain from appealing this decision and to drop all baseless cases against the outlet and its co-founder.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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