Ressa: Duterte admin brought 'generational setback' in PH media

MANILA — The persecution of journalists by the Duterte administration has brought "generational setback" in the country's media landscape, Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa said Thursday.

Ressa on Wednesday was acquitted of tax evasion, among a slew of charges she has long maintained are politically motivated.

It was her first court acquittal since former President Rodrigo Duterte's government began filing charges against her. Ressa had earlier termed the cases "politically motivated" and "a brazen abuse of power".

"Generational change and generational setback," she told ANC's "Headstart".

"I hope that, you know, our Vice President Sara Duterte, the next generation of our leaders, do better than the generation before them."

Duterte's government said previously it had nothing to do with the cases against Ressa.

In July 2020, allies of Duterte in the House of Representatives also denied the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise, the country's largest media network.

• Journalist Maria Ressa, Rappler acquitted of tax evasion

Following her acquittal, Ressa said she had "never lost faith" in the judiciary.

She also hoped that government institutions would "come out stronger".

"For President [Ferdinand] Marcos, [Jr.] to actually bring foreign investments in, for our economy to do well, we must prove to the world that we have 3 independent branches of government," she said.

Had it been an adverse decision, Ressa said it would be "devastating" not only for journalists but to the whole country.

"Because these cases are where you had the business, capital markets, human rights, press freedom and rule of law come together," she said.

"The right choices were made. I'm thrilled for us but it's only the first step forward," she added.

Ressa, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, still faces 3 other cases, including a cyber libel conviction now under appeal.

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— With a report from Agence France-Presse