Nobel laureate Maria Ressa acquitted of tax fraud in Philippines
In a significant legal triumph for renowned Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and her news platform, Rappler, a trial court handed down an acquittal on tax fraud charges.
This marks yet another victory for the journalist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, alongside a Russian counterpart. Ressa, who serves as the head of Rappler, has earned widespread acclaim for the relentless scrutiny her platform directed towards former President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial war on drugs.
Following the announcement of the verdict, Ressa expressed her satisfaction with the court's decision, affirming that she felt "good" about the outcome. reported Reuters.
Notably, this acquittal had been anticipated, as Ressa had previously been cleared of similar tax-related charges approximately nine months earlier.
These charges originally stemmed from a 2018 government indictment that accused Ressa and Rappler of evading tax payments. This evasion was allegedly a result of their failure to declare the proceeds from a 2015 sale of depositary receipts to foreign investors.
Her ongoing struggles
At the age of 59, Maria Ressa has remained steadfast in her pursuit of journalistic truth.
Her legal battles extend beyond tax fraud, with a 2020 conviction for cyber libel in one of several cases brought against Rappler by government agencies.
Throughout these trials, Ressa has consistently asserted that these legal actions were politically motivated. Importantly, despite being in office for over a year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pledged to refrain from interfering in the ongoing court proceedings against Rappler.
Despite these legal challenges, Rappler continues to operate unabated, pending its appeal against a closure order issued by the securities regulator.
Press freedom in the Philippines: A complex landscape
The World Press Freedom Index ranks the Philippines 132nd out of 180 countries.
This ranking reflects the country's media landscape as "extremely vibrant despite the government's targeted attacks and constant harassment" against journalists who are deemed "too critical."
