Malacañang castigated the remarks of New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to the plight of Ms. Maria Ressa, saying that the alleged oppressive working environment for journalists in the Philippines is alarming by citing the cases filed against her and Rappler.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo claimed that this “hasty generalization has no basis in fact nor in law.” Panelo asserted that Ressa or Rappler does not represent the entire media in the Philippines and in fact, there are local journalists who are similarly critical, hostile and biased of the policies of the Administration, and yet they continue to enjoy the practice of their profession free from charges or suits.
”We reiterate that Ms. Ressa is a high-profile journalist who invokes freedom of speech and hides before the mantle of press freedom when she is criminally charged for a violation of law not related to her exercise of her right to free speech,” Panelo said.
The Palace spokesman also stressed that Ressa is facing criminal charges due to her commission of illegal acts, such as the offenses of tax evasion, breach of anti-dummy law and violation of cyber libel laws, “which the investigating prosecutor and the courts trying her found probable cause that she could have probably committed the same.”
“She can not escape liabilities for these just because of her profession or politics. Ours is a system of law and no one is above it nor exempt from it,” Panelo added.
