JournalismPakistan.com | Published August 12, 2024 at 08:24 pm | IFJ Media Release
Join our WhatsApp channel
MANILA—A court in the Philippines has overturned a government order to shutter embattled digital media outlet Rappler, a significant victory for press freedom and independent, critical journalism in the country. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), welcome this outcome and urge the Philippines government to respect and uphold the freedom of the press, ensuring that independent media outlets can continue their vital work without fear of persecution.
In a decision dated July 23 but only made public on August 9, the Court of Appeals overturned the 2018 ruling by the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that had ordered the shutdown of Rappler, an independent media organization co-founded by Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa, restoring its certificate of operation. The court found that the SEC had committed a 'grave abuse of discretion', and ordered the country's corporate regulator to rightfully restore Rappler's legal status as a locally controlled media company.
The outlet has been engaged in an eight-year-long battle with the government of the Philippines over its extensive coverage and scrutiny of former President Rodrigo Duterte's abuses of power. Duterte's administration alleged Rappler violated a constitutional ban on foreign ownership and committed tax evasion, which led to the 2018 ruling and a 2022 decision to shut down the outlet.
Rappler continued to stay operational amidst a number of tax evasion cases, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue accusing the outlet of tax malpractice, alleging that it had knowingly failed to provide consumption tax data in 2015 concerning the distribution of Philippines Depository Receipts (PDR). This led to five separate cases filed against both Rappler and Ressa.
In January 2023, the Court of Tax Appeals dismissed these claims, finding them to be without factual or legal basis. The final tax case was resolved in September 2023 when the National Capital Region's eastern city of Pasig acquitted Reesa and Rappler of the last tax evasion charge.
Two legal cases now remain against 2021 Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa, including an Anti-Dummy Law case pending before a Pasig City court, and a cyber libel case related to a 2012 article pending before the country's Supreme Court, charges condemned by press freedom groups, media unions, and human rights organizations as politically motivated to suppress critical journalism.
At a press conference on August 9 following the victory, Rappler called on the government to stop appealing the cases. "Please stop appealing. We've had eight years of harassment… Even though we've won the five tax evasion charges. They've, again, filed it. They've appealed it," said Ressa.
The NUJP said: "It is vindication for the Rapplers who continued to report and hold the line through the years. We are proud to have stood with you. May the justice achieved on this day signal better days ahead for other media workers also facing legal challenges related to their work."
The IFJ said: "The overturning of Rappler's shutdown order represents an important victory for press freedom and the fundamental right to a free and independent media in the Philippines. The IFJ welcomes this ruling as a crucial step in reaffirming the importance of protecting journalists from legal intimidation and ensuring that independent media can operate without fear of unjust persecution. The IFJ urges the authorities to dismiss all pending charges against Rappler and its co-founder Maria Ressa and to cease any further attempts to silence the media."
Photo: AFP
April 01, 2025: Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025: Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 27, 2025: Several journalists were attacked and forced to delete footage while covering anti-military protests in Indonesia. CPJ urges authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable.
March 23, 2025: The severed pig’s head sent to Indonesia’s leading news outlet, Tempo, signals escalating media intimidation amid President Prabowo Subianto’s attacks on foreign-funded media.
March 14, 2025: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urges Maharashtra authorities to ensure their AI-driven media monitoring plan does not undermine press freedom. The initiative, which classifies news as positive or negative, raises concerns over government overreach and self-censorship.
March 11, 2025: Indian journalist and RTI activist Raghvendra Bajpai was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh on March 8 in a targeted attack. Media organizations, including IFJ, NUJ-I, and IJU, demand justice and an urgent investigation into his murder.
March 06, 2025: The arrest of Malaysiakini journalist B. Nantha Kumar by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has raised concerns over press freedom. The IFJ and NUJM call for a transparent investigation amid allegations of bribery and ongoing state harassment of independent media.
February 28, 2025: The Dewan Rakyat passed the Malaysian Media Council Bill on February 26, marking a historic step toward independent media regulation. Supported by journalists, unions, and media bodies, the council aims to set ethical standards, improve working conditions, and reform restrictive laws. The NUJM and IFJ celebrate this milestone while urging independence and adequate resourcing for the council.
April 11, 2025 Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025 The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025 Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025 The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025 Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.