Charles Teves
Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa along with former Rappler researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. were convicted on cyber libel charges by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 on Monday which sparked controversy given that Duterte allies have never been apprehended for committing even more serious violations in the past.
However, Ressa has critics of her own who are mostly supporters of the current administration. The conviction prompted many of them to spread fake news about her and she couldn’t help but to respond to some of them.
This narrative is a lie still being deliberately spread. Keng filed the case months after President Duterte attacked Rappler in his SONA in 2017. Timeline: https://t.co/svO2SNFqYZ https://t.co/hvDKpjjGe8
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 16, 2020
0 followers, 0 following. Same old lies – all wrong and laughable. I was born to Filipino parents in the PH. When you see these narratives, please help me slap them down! #CourageON #DefendPressFreedom https://t.co/FfswlVxcx0
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 16, 2020
Ressa had to lay out facts to clear any accusations against her.
SLAP! Baka naman hindi ka marunong magbasa? Nandiyan ang 27k https://t.co/VkdwYPirEz https://t.co/ap8CTycoi3
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 16, 2020
Twitter’s own Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) showed their support for Ressa and other journalists worldwide who have been punished for doing their jobs. Ressa acknowledged the support and thanked Twitter.
Thank you, Twitter! #HoldTheLine #DefendPressFreedom #CourageON
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 16, 2020
She did a whole thread earlier saying that it is very difficult to be a journalist these days.
(1/4) Good morning from Manila!! Infinite thanks to so many people. Here and around the world. I've been inundated the past few days. I'm stunned that Judge Montesa ignored the legal acrobatics that made this case possible. Our search for justice continues. #HoldTheLine
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 15, 2020
(2/4) The barely veiled contempt in the decision for me and Rappler truly makes me wonder, tearing apart nearly 35 years of my professional life. I like how even my title, which we chose in 2012 when we created @rapplerdotcom is "a clever ruse" https://t.co/rNef7uRunF
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 15, 2020
(3/4) Scratching my head how the legal acrobatics that made this case even possible happened: statute of limitations changed from 1 yr to 12 yrs; codifying "republication" The PH gov't and Keng lawyers say he is just "a private individual" https://t.co/b8UfOGMUIY
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 15, 2020
(4/4) So many to thank – please give me a few days to catch up. For journalists here and around the world, I can't remember a more dangerous time to be a journalist. We #CourageON because this time matters #HoldTheLine https://t.co/ExG6L786jw
— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) June 15, 2020
