MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — A Philippine news site co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa has been ordered to shut down, the company said Wednesday, a day before President Rodrigo Duterte — its arch-nemesis — leaves office. Ressa has been a vocal critic of Duterte and the deadly drug war he launched in 2016, triggering what media advocates say is a grinding series of criminal charges, probes and online attacks against her and Rappler. […]
Tag: Rappler
Comelec suspends MOA with Rappler
By Ferdinand Patinio Philippine News Agency MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday suspended its memorandum of agreement (MOA) with online news website Rappler a day after the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to nullify the deal.In a one-page memorandum signed by Comelec acting chair Socorro Inting, all activities in connection with the fact-checking MOA are ordered on hold. “Given the allegations against […]
Journalists Maria Ressa, Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize
by Pierre-Henry DESHAYES Agence France Presse OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Investigative journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their work promoting freedom of expression at a time when liberty of the press is increasingly under threat. Ressa, also a US citizen, is co-founder of Rappler, a digital media company for investigative journalism. Muratov is a co-founder of Russia’s leading independent newspaper Novaya […]
Rappler’s Ressa given second Philippine cyber libel charge
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa asked a court on Friday to quash the second charge of cyber libel she has faced this year, in a case sparked by a screenshot of an online news article. The critic of President Rodrigo Duterte is already on bail pending an appeal against a conviction in June for the same type of offence, for which she faces up to six years in prison. Ressa and […]
European Parliament calls on PHL gov’t to renew ABS-CBN franchise, drop charges vs Ressa, De Lima
(Eagle News) – Members of the European Parliament expressed alarm about what they claimed was a “deteriorating level of press freedom in the Philippines” and called on the Philippine government to “renew” the franchise of ABS-CBN, as well as to drop all charges against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. This was contained as part of the resolution of the European Parliament which is composed of 705 members, The text of the resolution which also expressed […]
CHED: “No regular face to face classes in August” for HEIs
(Eagle News) – The Commission on Higher Education said that there would be “no regular face-to-face classes in August” even for higher education institutions because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. “CHED wants to make it very clear that higher education institutions (HEIs) will open the semester in August using flexible learning mode. There are NO regular face-to-face classes in August,” said CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III in a statement. De Vera issued the statement […]
Wilfredo Keng on guilty verdict for cyber libel vs Rappler’s Ressa, Santos: I have been vindicated
(Eagle News)–The businessman who acted as the private complainant in the cyber libel case against Rappler’s Maria Ressa and its former researcher said he has been “vindicated” by the court’s ruling that found them guilty. In a statement, Wilfredo Keng said this was “at least to the extent possible considering the damage had already been done.” “As I have proven in the course of the trial, I have never been investigated or summoned for, much […]
Manila court on Ressa, Santos guilty verdict: Right to freedom of press should not be used as shield vs accountability
(Eagle News)–“The right to free speech and freedom of the press cannot and should not be used as a shield against accountability.” This is according to the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46, which handed down a guilty verdict for cyber libel against Rappler’s Maria Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. The cyber libel complaint was in connection with a story on businessman Wilfredo Keng published by the media organization in 2012 and republished […]
JUST IN: Manila court finds Rappler’s Ressa, former researcher guilty of cyber libel
(Eagle News)–A Manila court has found Rappler’s Maria Ressa guilty of cyberlibel in connection with a story Rappler published in 2012 and republished in 2014. Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa handed down the guilty verdict also against Rappler’s former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. The cyber libel complaint stems from the story linking businessman Wilfredo Keng to human trafficking and drug smuggling, citing what Rappler said was an intelligence report. The story also alleged Keng was the owner […]
US Senate panel approves reso calling for De Lima release, an end to alleged harassment of Ressa
(Eagle News) — The United States Senate foreign relations committee has approved a resolution calling for Senator Leila de Lima’s release and an end to the Philippine government’s alleged harassment of Rappler’s Maria Ressa. Senator Dick Durbin made the announcement in a Tweet on his official account: “Glad to see Senate Foreign Relations Committee pass @SenMarkey’s resolution, that I proudly cosponsored, calling on the government of the Philippines to end the troubling detention of Filipina […]
Manila court denies bid of Rappler’s Ressa, Santos to dismiss cyber libel raps
(Eagle News)–The Manila Regional Trial Court has junked the demurrer to evidence filed by Rappler’s Maria Ressa and former reporter Reynaldo Santos in connection with the case filed against them by businessman Wilfredo Keng. In junking the demurrer which aimed for the dismissal of the cyber libel case filed against them over an article published in 2012, Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa said she did not find merit in the same. The judge said the […]
Manila court allows Rappler, Ressa, Santos to file motion to dismiss cyber libel raps
(Eagle News)–A Manila court has granted the motion for leave of court of Rappler and its editor-in-chief Maria Ressa and former reporter Reynaldo Santos so they could file a motion to dismiss the case filed against them by businessman Wilfredo Keng. Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa gave the accused ten days from today, Tuesday, Oct. 8, within which to file their demurrer to evidence against the cyber libel charges, which stem […]





