12-9-2023 (MANILA) Maria Ressa, the Nobel laureate from the Philippines, achieved another legal victory on Tuesday (Sep 12) as she was acquitted of her final tax evasion charge, marking a significant development in her ongoing legal battles. The veteran journalist, known for her vocal criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his controversial drug war, wore a smile as the judge delivered the verdict in a Manila courtroom, according to an AFP journalist present at the scene.
Ressa, aged 59, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, has been entangled in multiple legal challenges dating back to the Duterte administration. Throughout this tumultuous journey, she has consistently argued that the charges against her and the news outlet Rappler, which she co-founded in 2012, were politically motivated.
Speaking to reporters outside the court after her acquittal, a visibly relieved Ressa expressed her faith in the justice system, stating that she felt “good” about the court’s decision.
This acquittal comes as no surprise, as Ressa had previously been cleared of similar tax charges nine months ago. Ressa and Rappler had been confronted with five government charges of tax evasion, stemming from the 2015 sale of Philippine depositary receipts, a method companies use to raise funds from foreign investors. In January, a court acquitted them of four of these charges, while the fifth charge was heard by a different court, which also found her innocent.
Despite these acquittals, Ressa and Rappler’s future remains uncertain as they continue to battle two other court cases. Ressa is currently on bail and was convicted in 2020 for cyber libel, a charge carrying a nearly seven-year prison sentence, as part of a series of cases initiated by government agencies against the news website. She is currently appealing this conviction.
While Rappler continues to operate without hindrance, it is simultaneously challenging an order from the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission to cease operations, alleging violations of the ban on foreign ownership in media. According to the constitution, media investments are reserved for Philippine citizens or entities controlled by citizens.
This particular case stems from a 2015 investment by the US-based Omidyar Network, founded by eBay’s Pierre Omidyar. The network later transferred its investment in Rappler to the site’s local managers in an effort to thwart Duterte’s attempts to shut it down.
Despite these ongoing legal challenges, Ressa remained characteristically defiant and optimistic. She emphasized that this latest acquittal “strengthens our resolve to continue with the justice system” and expressed hope for the dismissal of the remaining charges.
Ressa and Rappler first encountered legal trouble in 2016 with the election of President Duterte, known for his vehement attacks against critics. They have faced a series of criminal charges, arrests, and online abuse, which press freedom advocates have condemned. Duterte’s government has claimed no involvement in these cases.
Another prominent Duterte critic, human rights campaigner Leila de Lima, has spent over six years in jail on drug trafficking charges she insists were fabricated to silence her.
Throughout the legal battles, Ressa, who is also a US citizen, has remained in the Philippines. Her bail conditions require her to seek court approval for international travel, including her visit to Norway in December 2021 to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, which she shared with Muratov for their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression.”
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte in June 2022, has stated that he will not interfere in Ressa’s cases, citing the separation of powers between the executive and judicial branches of government.
The World Press Freedom Index ranks the Philippines 132 out of 180 countries, with Reporters Without Borders describing the country’s media as “extremely vibrant” despite government-targeted attacks and constant harassment against journalists deemed “too critical.”
