PCOO-Rappler case ‘moot’ — SC

The Supreme Court has dismissed as “moot” a petition that challenged the ban imposed by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, or PCOO, on online media outlet Rappler during the Duterte presidency.

In an en banc decision, the SC, through Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, denied the petition for certiorari and prohibition, and prayer for a temporary restraining order against the PCOO, now the Presidential Communications Office.

In resolving the petition, the Court stressed the necessity of an actual case or controversy as a prerequisite to exercising its power of judicial review and that, in its absence, a case is to be considered moot and no longer a proper subject of review.

Rappler is now able to cover the activities of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Truly, the freedom of the press remains one of the cherished hallmarks of our democracy,” stated the SC as it junked the petition that sought to allow Rappler to cover the activities of then-president Rodrigo Duterte.

Rappler’s accreditation as a member of the Malacañang Press Corps was not renewed in 2018 after the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked its certificate of incorporation.

The SEC, at the time, said Rappler violated the foreign ownership restrictions in the Philippine Constitution and media-related laws.

The regulator accused Rappler of illegally selling control to Omidyar Network, a foreign entity, through Philippine depositary receipts.

The petition claimed the ban on Rappler and its reporters arose from Duterte’s publicly stated antagonism against the website.