Freed on bail, Maria Ressa rallies journalists to hold the line

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/02/14/20190214-maria-ressa-arrest-rtr-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Rappler&#x27;s CEO Maria Ressa is pictured inside the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila, Philippines, February 13, 2019. <em>Eloisa Lopez, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA- News website Rappler&#x27;s chief Maria Ressa rallied fellow journalists on Thursday to fight for press freedom following her arrest for cyber libel, a charge that advocates have decried as persecution.</p><p>Ressa, who was<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/19/maria-ressa-posts-bail"> freed on bail </a>after spending a night in detention, said her legal ordeal was an example of the government&#x27;s &quot;abuse of power and weaponization of the law.&quot;</p><p>&quot;This is not just about me, and it is not just about Rappler. The message the government is sending is very clear and someone actually told our reporter this: be silent,&quot; she told reporters after posting bail.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m saying and appealing to you not to be silent, even if and especially if you&#x27;re next,&quot; she added.</p><p>Named by Time Magazine as &quot;Person of the Year&quot; in 2018, Ressa was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/13/19/authorities-serve-arrest-warrant-vs-maria-ressa">arrested</a> Wednesday over a 2012 Rappler article which its subject, businessman Wilfredo Keng, claimed was &quot;clearly defamatory.&quot;</p><p>Rappler, which has published stories critical of the Duterte administration, has scored cases and acts against it as an attack on press freedom. </p><p>Decrying her arrest, Ressa said Philippine democracy was slowly dying.</p><p>&quot;What we&#x27;re seeing is death by a thousand cuts of our democracy,&quot; she said.</p><p>Fighting back tears, Ressa vowed that she would face the charges being thrown against her.</p><p>&quot;We will not duck, we will not hide, we will hold the line,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Press freedom is not just about journalists. Press freedom is the foundation of every single right of every Filipino to the truth so that we can hold power to account,&quot; she added.</p><p>Ressa said she would appeal her indictment.</p><p>Apart from the cyber libel case, Ressa and Rappler are also facing a tax suit, and the site&#x27;s incorporation certificate was revoked in 2018 for allegedly violating the constitutional restriction on foreign ownership of mass media.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/19/cyber-libel-case-vs-rappler-riddled-with-deficiencies-ressa-lawyer">Cyber libel case vs Rappler riddled with &#x27;deficiencies&#x27;: Ressa lawyer</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/19/rappler-ceos-arrest-meant-to-harass-intimidate-silence-journalist">Rappler CEO&#x27;s arrest &#x27;meant to harass, intimidate, silence&#x27;: journalist</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1391542" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

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Freed on bail, Maria Ressa rallies journalists to hold the line

Freed on bail, Maria Ressa rallies journalists to hold the line

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 14, 2019 01:25 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 14, 2019 02:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Rappler

Maria Ressa

cyber libel

media

press freedom

journalists

journalism

libel

cybercrime

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