Manila – The Manila City Regional Trial Court’s cyber libel conviction of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos was “concerning” on the part of the United States (US).
US State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that the US is calling for resolution of the case in a way that reinforces the US and Philippines’ long shared commitment to freedom of expression, including for members of the press.
Ressa and Santos, Jr. are facing up to six years in prison over an article published in 2012 and allegedly “republished” in 2014. The two remain free after being granted post-conviction bail.
The cyber libel case against Ressa stemmed from a complaint by businessman Wilfredo Keng in 2017 over a Rappler story five years earlier about his alleged ties to a then-Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona.
Based on the news report of Rappler researcher Santos Jr., Keng has allegedly lend his black Chevrolet Suburban to Corona, who was then facing an impeachment complaint.
Rappler reported that the SUV, which bore the plate number ZWK 111, was registered under Keng at the Land Transportation Office. While Keng admitted ZWK 111 was his, he said that he doesn’t own the SUV Corona had been using.
Losing presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has previously expressed her concern on the conviction of the Filipino American journalist for doing her job.
“Maria Ressa was convicted in the Philippines yesterday for doing her job,” said Clinton. “As Amal Clooney wrote, the message to other journalists is ‘Keep quiet, or you’ll be next.’ We must fiercely protest attacks on the press. They are attacks on democracy.”
The European Union (EU), for its part, has denounced the guilty verdict on Ressa and Santos, Jr., saying it raises “serious doubts” over press freedom and the rule of law in the country.
“The conviction of Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos by a Manila Regional Trial Court on 15 June, which is open to appeal, raises serious doubts over the respect for freedom of expression as well as for the rule of law in the Philippines,” the EU External Action Services (EEAS) said.
“Freedom of opinion and expression, online and offline, are essential parts of any democracy worldwide. The European Union will always stand up for these fundamental rights,” it added.
“We expect the Philippines, like all countries, to uphold its international human rights obligations and protect and promote fundamental freedoms,” the statement further read.
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that it was surprising for other countries to attack the libel laws in the country when it was the same with what it is being implemented there./PN
