MANILA - Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was on Monday found guilty of cyber libel over a 2012 article that linked a businessmanto alleged illegal activities.
Ressa said she was "prepared for the worst" outcome in the case against her and former Rappler researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. The 2018 TIME magazine Person of the Year was detained overnight in February last year over the complaint."I'm ready. I'm prepared for the worst. Rappler is prepared for the worst but we are desperately hoping for the best because we believe that the mission of journalism is extremely important today," she said in a virtual interview Saturday.
“Let’s hope that on Monday a trial judge in Manila will send a very different message. And that if she doesn’t, we will see a robust response,” she added. Businessman Wilfredo Keng had accused Rappler of smearing his reputation over a May 2012 article alleging that he supposedly allowed former Chief Justice Renato Corona to use an SUV. The same article cited an intelligence report alleging Keng had a shady past.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
VERDICT PRIMER: Legal and factual issues in Rappler, Maria Ressa cyber libel caseCyber libel is punishable by jail time of 6 months and 1 day to up to 7 years. If acquitted, Maria Ressa faces 7 other criminal charges. HoldTheLine DefendPressFreedom CourageON
Read more »
Keng camp tries to pin down Maria Ressa in Rappler cyber libel caseFromOurArchives: In insisting Ressa was not involved at all in the story, Rappler editor Chay Hofileña says the CEO does not exercise unilateral editorial control in the newsroom. “She gets vetoed because we are a democratic organization.” HoldTheLine
Read more »
Rappler boss Maria Ressa in court for cyber libel verdict
Read more »
Maria Ressa arrest tests the bounds of Philippine cyber libel lawMaria Ressa’s arrest in February 2019 is perceived to test the young cybercrime law, which underwent intense scrutiny even after its enactment. A leading cyber lawyer says the case will have implications on other online publications. DefendPressFreedom
Read more »
How correcting a typo got Maria into trouble: The cyberlibel case vs Rappler
Read more »
Democracy faces 'death by a thousand cuts' with looming anti-terror law – Maria Ressa'All these kinds of legal acrobatics, the law has been weaponized. And now the question is if it's codified into law, it becomes the norm,' says Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. CourageON HoldTheLine DefendPressFreedom
Read more »