THE MARIA RESSA CASE:

When Media Become The Abuser

In most circumstances, the media are outlets where the people can voice out their sentiments and grievances against the abuses of politicians, governments and institutions, and the rich and powerful.

There are, however, instances when media are used to do the opposite. That is, when media have programmed objectives contrary to social order and justice; when they are funded and controlled by questionable entities that have dark socio-eco-political agenda; when they act against the will of the people they suppose to do their service; when they become tools of black propaganda with malicious intent against a person or institution; and when the media become the abuser instead of the protector of the abused.

 

Most recently, the Rappler chief Maria Ressa, is again the talk of the town. She has again proven that she is the “Queen of Fake News” as tagged by the Pilipino people with her Twitter post blaming recently-elected President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr for her current predicament. She and her co-accused, Reynaldo Santos Jr, being recently convicted of the crime of cyberlibel they committed some ten years ago. 

Let us fact-check Ressa once more:

1. The cyberlibel complaint against her was filed on December 20, 2017, for an article published online by Rappler on May 29, 2012. The article was NOT about Marcos and it’s more than 10 years prior to him being elected president! 

2. The one who filed the case is Wilfredo Keng, and NOT Marcos! 

3. The published Rappler article, titled “CJ (Chief Justice) Using SUVs of Controversial Businessman,” was about Wilfredo Keng’s involvement in a controversy surrounding then Chief Justice Renato Corona as alleged by Santos Jr, and which has NOTHING TO DO WHATSOEVER with Marcos! 

4. Ressa and Santos Jr, were arraigned on May 13, 2019, more than three years BEFORE Marcos took office. 

5. The verdict of “GUILTY” of criminal libel was handed down on June 15, 2020. That’s more than two years BEFORE Marcos was sworn into office. 

6. It was appealed but the court upholds the conviction and declared it barely two days after Marcos took office.

The following are excerpts of the court decision penned by presiding judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa:

“.... the court finds the prosecution’s evidence sufficient in establishing the guilt of both Accused Reynaldo Santos Jr and Maria Ressa beyond reasonable doubt for violation of Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act 10175....”

In Ressa’s claim that she had no participation in the said subject article, the court said it does not shield her from liability: “It is not a matter of whether she was actually involved in preparing or editing the subject article, because the law simply states that she, as editor and business manager, is liable “AS IF” she was the author, in accordance with Article 360 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to R.A. 10175.”

As to the mention of “freedom of speech,” the court said: “The right of every person to freedom of speech is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. It is the right to speak freely without fear of retribution or retaliation. The right of the press to freely report news and opinion without undue restraint is guaranteed no less. These rights are imbued with vast powers to advance the COMMON GOOD, TO EFFECT change and influence the minds of others IN THE HOPE OF BUILDING A SOCIETY where every person can be free. But when abused, THIS FREEDOM can SOW animosity and ENGENDER divisiveness and resentment THAT MAY LEAD TO disorder and chaos.... Indeed, the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and of the press. But this is a freedom burdened with responsibility for even the Journalists’ Codes of Ethics exhorts all journalists to ‘recognize the duty to air the other side and the duty to correct substantive errors promptly.’ This the accused DID NOT DO even when the victim, Keng, pleaded to them to air his side or at least publish a clarificatory article.”

Furthermore, the court in its ruling said that Ressa “did not offer a scintilla of proof that they verified the imputations of various crimes in the disputed article.... They just simply published them as news in their online publication in reckless disregard of whether they are false or not.”

The judge even quoted Nelson Mandela: “For to be free is not merely to cast off ones chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” 

7. The law that was used to convict Ressa, the Cybercrime Prevention Act (R.A. 10175), was legislated in September 12, 2012. That was during President Benigno Aquino III’s time, which is almost 10 years before Marcos Jr was elected president!

So, how can she accuse President Marcos Jr of harassing and intimidating her? In reality, it is Ressa who is doing the harassment through her deception and manipulation of media, trying to tie her conviction as press suppression to the new president whose reputation she persistently seek to malign during the campaign period and continuously afterwards. 

MARIA RESSA’S TWITTER POST HAS BEEN FACT-CHECKED AND FOUND FULL OF DECEPTIONS! 

NOONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!

 

As to the comments made by Berit Reiss-Andersen, Nobel Committee chairperson, lawyer Amal Clooney, and United Nations (UN) rapporteur Irene Khan, allow me to voice my disagreement. 

First of all, the conviction was NOT about “freedom of expression.” It was about a news report published by Rappler more than 10 years ago containing false and malicious information about the person named Wilfredo Keng, and the failure (or willful intent?) of Ressa and her co-accused, Santos Jr, not to give Keng a chance to dispute the story as what journalists are inclined to do (Kindly read the court decision, some excerpts of which I have included here.). She was convicted of libel not because she uncovered something sinister about the person, but because she published FALSE information about the person, and did not give that person the chance to repute the allegation in total disregard for journalistic fairness.

Now, does the Nobel Committee chaired by Reiss-Andersen condone such a criminal act? If so, it would be a disgraceful blot, a wart, in the reputation of the very prestigious institution. For Clooney, you know the law, and clearly you also know President Marcos has NOTHING TO DO with the case that had been decided before he took office. For Khan, I think you are letting your clouded mind shows your ignorance of the matter, of the circumstances, on who’s to blame, and of journalistic ethics. You all better go back to school and start researching thoroughly! 

Secondly, why do you keep dragging the name of newly-elected President Marcos Jr to this case? He has NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO with it? Do you also have a HIDDEN AGENDA against him? Believe me when I say that this time around the entire Pilipino nation will not take this sitting down. Pilipinos have been silent for more than three decades of disinformation and historical revisionism, but NO MORE! 

Thirdly, Ressa is NOT A HERO of the free press! She has been labelled as the “Queen of Fake News,” because her booboos, yellow journalism and unresearched articles. In fact, in a recent Reuter Institute graph of the “Study of Journalism’s Digital Report” (2022) in the Philippines, it was shown that Rappler is at the lowest rank, the news organization that people “don’t trust.” There have been so many instances of Rappler publishing one-sided stories with biased political intent.

Fourth, Ressa kept claiming that there is no press freedom in the Philippines, but at the same time continuously, FREELY, giving press statements against the government in both local and foreign newspapers, TV interviews and online news posts. What a contradiction! Rappler for its part has been known to be biased against the Marcoses. During the election campaign period, it showcased a one-sided information drive in favor of Leni Robredo while discouraging people to side with Bongbong Marcos. They recycled old stories against his father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, and always branding him with the “dictator’s son” tag with an obvious antagonistic intent. Something that fair press shouldn’t do. But the Pilipino people are now wise and enlightened, and can no longer be fooled by media manipulations and fake news.

Fifth, we are in a democratic society. If the news media are used to disseminate black propaganda and propagate discord among the people for the benefit of a certain group, then fascism is being introduced. The Philippines recently concluded a presidential election. The results are glaringly clear; President Marcos Jr won by an ABSOLUTE MAJORITY, with the biggest margin ever in Philippine history. Volunteerism won over media and celebrity hype! The Pilipino nation has spoken, nay, they shouted with all their might, but Rappler continues to sow disinformation with a clearly biased intent in favor of the defeated candidate. This alone is a violation of the Journalists’ Code of Ethics. Vox ilustrati populi, vox omnipotentis dei (The voice of an enlightened people, the voice of an omnipotent GOD).

 

NOTE: Top and bottom caricatures drawn by Glenzkie Tolo (Daily Tribune).