Maria Ressa
Timeline of Events
2012
January
Maria establishes Rappler along with three other women journalists. It is an online news platform that relies on social media growth. She is the CEO of the outlet, which is one of the most popular news websites in the Philippines.
May 29
Rappler published an expose that triggered what would eventually become a series of suppression and stifling tactics by the state. The story states that the former chief justice Renato Corona used a vehicle registered to businessman Wilfredo Keng, who had allegations of drug and human trafficking against him.
September
Republic Act (RA) No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, is signed into law. The law bears many ambiguities that would grant disproportionate power to the justice department, such as the power to shut down websites. The constitutional legitimacy of the new law is questioned by lawyers and media organizations.
2014
February 18
The Supreme Court rules that provisions of RA 10175 are constitutional. The provision on cyber libel is passed, as applying only to persons other than the original author. Another provision grants the justice department the right to take down online content without a court warrant.
February 19
Rappler’s 2012 report is updated to fix typos and change pictures.
2017
July
Rodrigo Duterte accuses Rappler of being owned and influenced by US interests.
October
Keng files a libel complaint against Rappler. He claims “the article was published by Rappler without observing the ethical standards of journalism. It contained malicious imputations of crimes, with bad intentions, purposely to malign, dishonor and discredit my character and good reputation.”
Read: What’s inside Keng’s cyber libel complaint vs. Rappler
2018
January 15
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revokes Rappler's license. It operates pending a review.
January 19
Maria Ressa is summoned to attend the investigation with former Rappler writer and researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr., and businessman Benjamin Bitanga.
February 1
Maria and Reynaldo file counter-affidavits to Keng’s complaint. According to the counter-affidavits, no cyber libel took place as the investigative report was published four months before the enactment of RA 10175. It argues that no criminal law is retroactive.
February 22
Maria and Reynaldo’s counter-affidavits are taken into account by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cybercrime division chief, Manuel Antonio Eduarte.
February 28
Keng rejects the opinion of Eduarte, according to an Inquirer report. He claims "the prescriptive period for crimes falling under Section 4(c) (4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is 15 years", not one year.
March 2
The NBI reportedly requested prosecution of Rappler for claims of cyber libel. The agency argues that the .earlier dismissal was “prematurely disclosed.”
March 8
NBI Director Dante Gierran confirms the file citing cyber libel. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) files criminal and tax evasion charges against Rappler.
April 25
Maria .submits a counter-affidavit to the justice department through her lawyers.
2019
January 10
The justice department recommends the filing of cyber libel charges against Ressa and Santos.
Read: Despite NBI flip-flop, DOJ to indict Rappler for cyber libel)
February 12
An arrest warrant is issued for Maria by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 46.
February 13
Maria is served the arrest warrant as agents and lawyers from the NBI cybercrime division descend on the Rappler headquarters.
February 14
Maria is released on bail by Manila RTC Branch 46 after paying P100,000 (Approx. 2000 USD). The court issues a release order for Maria after bail of P100,000 is posted.
February 26
Human rights lawyer and former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te and lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group file a Motion to quash before the Manila RTC Branch 46.
March 11
The Court of Appeals reiterates its earlier ruling that the Securities and Exchange Commission should review its earlier order revoking Rappler’s license in view of donation to Filipino managers of shares previously held by Omidyar Network. The court also denies Rappler’s motion for partial reconsideration and upholds its previous findings that the company’s foreign investment amounted to prohibited foreign control of a media company. Know more here.
April 12
Manila RTC Branch 46 rejects the appeal.The reasoning is that "is well within the period of twelve (12) years negating the assertion raised by the Accused that the offense already prescribed."
May 14
Maria is summoned to court following the cyber libel charges.
July 23
The first hearing of the cyber libel case begins.
October 8
Manila RTC Branch 46 allows Rappler and Maria to seek an outright dismissal of their cyber libel case.
October 18
Rappler, Maria, and Reynaldo ask the court to .dismiss the charges and acquit them. They claim the accuser could not prove defamation and that the witnesses were not objective.
November 15
Manila RTC Branch 6 .denies Maria's claims.
December 16
The second hearing takes place.
Read: Keng camp tries to pin down Maria in Rappler cyber libel case
During the prosecution's cross-examination, Rappler investigative head Chay Hofileña says that Maria, as the CEO, does not exercise unilateral editorial control in the newsroom.
Read: .Sotto law allows Rappler to protect source in cyber libel case
2020
January 24
Manila RTC Branch 46 says it will serve its verdict on the cyber libel case on April 3, 2020, against Rappler, CEO Maria Ressa, and former writer/researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. The order was received by the news outlet on February 7.
June 1
Manila RTC Branch 46 reschedules the hearing to June 15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
June 15
Manila RTC Branch 46 finds Maria and Reynaldo guiltyof cyber libel, sentencing them to six months and one day, up to six years in jail. Both Maria and Reynaldo are ordered to pay P200,000 (~4000 USD) in moral damages and another P200,000 in exemplary damages. Maria and Reynaldo’s lawyers say they will apply for an appeal.
July 9
CFWIJ joins 60 organizations in a global press freedom campaign #HoldTheLine to support Maria and condemn her conviction by the Manila court.
July 22
Maria appears before the court following the accusations that Rappler falsified tax returns by omitting the proceeds of a sale of depositary receipts to foreign investors. This later became grounds for the securities regulator to revoke its license, The Guardian reported. During the hearing, the prosecutor asks to substantially amend the information on the charge sheet by adding Rappler Holdings, right before Maria’s hearing— nearly two years after it was filed. Maria denies the tax evasion charges against her.
July 25
The Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in Manila is tasked with deciding on Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr.’s request for reconsideration of their cyber libel conviction denies the appeal on the basis of lacking merit.
July 30
Maria sends the prosecutor an 18-page affidavitconcerning the second cyber libel complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng. Ressa says her sharing of the Philippine Star article does not amount to a publication or republication that may substantiate a cyber libel complaint.
August 7
“A Thousand Cuts”, a documentary based on Maria’s fight for press freedom, opens in select theatres across the U.S. and virtual cinemas. The documentary is filmed by award-winning director Ramona S. Diaz.
August 18
The Court of Appeals (CA) rejects Maria’s U.S. travel request,saying her engagements of participating in documentary panels and receiving a press freedom award are not necessary nor urgent. Additionally, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) opposes Maria's travel request, saying her statements against the Filipino justice system make her a flight risk.
Maria files a motion for reconsideration following the imposed travel restrictions.
August 20
The appellate court denies Maria’s motion for reconsideration with finality.
September 17
The European Parliament passes a resolution and calls on the Filipino government to drop all charges against Maria.
September 20
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar says that Maria is trying to escape legal responsibility by accusing the government of weaponizing the laws. He made this announcement after the European Parliament’s resolution was passed.
September 25
Maria openly criticizes the Facebook oversight board. She becomes part of a rival panel instead. This rival oversight board’s launch started to sound the alarm about Facebook’s role in the coming election.
December 7
Another libel case is filed against Maria Ressa for an article published on her website. Rappler reporter Rambo Talabong wrote an article about the misconduct of Binelde professor Ariel Pineda. Pineda filed a libel suit against both Maria and Rambo, alleging them of creating malicious propaganda against him. The article was published in January 2020.
2021
February 1
.A motion is filed by Maria Ressa and Rambo Talabong against the libel case. The journalists asked the court to eliminate the libel laws pertaining to the suit. They also question the jurisdiction of the Manila trial court branch since the criminal charges did not specify a venue.
February 4
The Manila court accepted the plea motion of Maria Ressa and Rappler reporter Rambo Talabong and postponed the hearing of the libel case until March 11, 2021.
March 4
Maria Ressa appears in court to defend herself against charges of tax evasion. “I spoke the truth, and I feel good!” she says afterward.
March 8
The International Center for Journalists issues a report analyzing the online trolling that Maria has endured. The report indicates that the harassment efforts are state-backed.
March 10
Maria interviews Ramona Diaz, the director of A Thousand Cuts. The interview focuses on Diaz’s creative process and personal values.
March 11
Maria Ressa appears in court for a hearing on the libel case filed against her. The court is requested to reconsider its previous decision to uphold the charges against Maria. The session is adjourned to April 8.
June 1
Maria Ressa is cleared of the defamation charges filed by Wilfredo Keng after he withdraws his second libel case
August 10
The court dismisses the libel charge against Maria Ressa, regarding the alleged corruption at a leading university - De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
2022
June 28
In the last days of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an order once again affirming its decision to revoke Rappler's license. Maria Ressa and her team intend to legally fight the order. Find more information here.
October 11
Maria Ressa and her legal representation filed a motion for reconsideration. The motion was denied by the Philippine Court of Appeals on October 11, 2022. The fight continues to appeal the ruling next to the Supreme Court.
2023
January 18
Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and her news outlet Rappler were acquitted by the Philippine Court of Tax Appeals putting an end to the legal action launched against them by the Philippine government in 2018 marking a win not only for independent journalism, but for democracy as well.
June 13
Three civil society organizations, RSF, CPJ and ICFJ, along with legal partners, submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The brief aims to protect Maria Ressa and her colleague Reynaldo Santos from legal persecution and defend the public's right to information. It argues that the cyber libel convictions of Ressa and Santos violate international obligations and undermine the court's century-old press freedom legacy. The case revolves around a 2012 investigative report by Ressa's Rappler on businessman Wilfredo Keng and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
2024
August 9
A court in the Philippines reverses the shutdown order of Rappler. 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. The court made the decision on July 23, 2024, which was only made public on August 9, 2024. The Court of Appeals reinstates Rappler’s operating certificate, ruling that the SEC had committed a “grave abuse of discretion”. It also further clarified that Rappler Holdings, and by extension Rappler, are fully owned and managed by Filipinos, in compliance with constitutional mandates.
