(Eagle News) — Rappler CEO an executive editor Maria Ressa confirmed that there was an arrest warrant for her issued for the tax evasion cases she is facing.
On Sunday night, Dec. 2, Ressa upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, said that she was “ready to post bail” and that she came back home to the country, “ready to face all these (cases).”
“We have multiple cases and we will continue to fight each of these cases,” Ressa said in a Rappler tweet.
“We hold the line. We’ll just continue. We’ll challenge it,” she said.
Rappler and Ressa are facing five violations of the Tax Code filed by the Department of Justice.
This was based on a complaint filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
The BIR complaint arose from Rappler’s failure to reflect in its 2015 tax returns “the total gains of almost P162.5 million which it realized from its issuance of Philippine Depository Receipts (PDR) to NBM Rappler L.P. and Omidyar Network Fund LLC,” according to a press statement of DOJ Undersecretary Markk Perete released Friday, Nov. 9.
NBM Rappler and Omidyar Network are two foreign investors which put money into Rappler between the years 2014 and 2015.
Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 265 Judge Danilo A Buemio issued the arrest warrant.
“Our lawyers have verified a warrant of arrest was issued, and that’s part of the reason why they (lawyers) have come here. I’m ready to post bail. I will do what our lawyers advise,” Ressa said, speaking to reporters upon her arrival at the NAIA Sunday night, Dec. 2.
“I am personally under attack, Rappler is under attack… I think we all know that the line has been moved,” she added in a Rappler tweet.
Aside from Ressa, the BIR also accused Rappler Holdings’ accountant Noel Baladiang of having violated Section 257 of the Tax Code for having certified the financial statements of RHC despite said corporation’s failure to disclose its purchase of RI shares.