Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa was acquitted on Tuesday September 12 in Manila of the last charge of tax evasion for which she was being prosecuted. But she still faces a long prison sentence in other proceedings.
3 mins
The co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, with the Russian Dmitri Mouratov, smiled as the judge read the verdict, who also acquitted Rappler, the online media of which Maria Ressa is the co-founder, according to an AFP journalist in the courtroom. “ You have to have faith “, declared the 59-year-old essayist to the press as he left the court.
Maria Ressa faced numerous legal harassments under former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022), whose bloody anti-drug policy she virulently criticized. She and Rappler faced five tax evasion charges after the 2015 sale of certificates of deposit, a way for companies to raise money from foreign investors.
Read alsoMaria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize 2021: “This prize belongs to journalists who stand their ground”
“ The triumph of facts over politics »
In January 2023, a court acquitted Rappler and the journalist of the first four counts, and another court exonerated them for the fifth Tuesday. “ Today we celebrate the triumph of facts over politics “, welcomed Rappler in a press release. “ We thank the court for this fair decision and for recognizing that the fraudulent, false and unconvincing accusations made by the Bureau of Internal Revenue have no factual basis “, continued the site.
Despite these legal victories, the future of Maria Ressa and Rappler remains uncertain, as they still face two more trials. The journalist, who also has American nationality, and a former colleague, Rey Santos Jr, were found guilty in 2020 of cyberdefamation. The case, for which they face nearly seven years in prison, is currently being examined by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Rappler, meanwhile, is challenging a shutdown order from the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly violating the ban on foreign ownership in media outlets. In the Philippines, media investments are reserved for citizens or entities controlled by them. The lawsuits stem from a 2015 investment in Rappler by the philanthropic company Omidyar Network, created by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. Omidyar Network then transferred its investment in Rappler to local managers of the site, in order to prevent any attempt at closure by the government.
Maria Ressa is on bail while the Supreme Court reviews her cyberdefamation conviction, and must seek court permission if she wishes to travel abroad. She was optimistic on Tuesday, saying that her latest acquittal “ strengthens our resolve to pursue the justice system “. “ This shows that the justice system is working and we hope that the other charges will be dismissed » she declared.
(with AFP)