Romualdez defends SEC decision on Rappler after NY Times editorial

JOHN REY O. SAAVEDRA

MANILA — Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez, Philippine ambassador to the United States, defended the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission to revoke the license of online news site Rappler.

Romualdez wrote a letter to The New York Times in response to its January 27 editorial titled "After Killing Spree, Is a Free Press Mr. Duterte's Next Victim?"

In his letter dated January 24, Romualdez attested to SEC chair Teresita Herbosa's "unimpeachable character."

"She is highly respected within legal policy circles for her commitment to the rule of law and to the public interest," Romualdez said in his letter.

Romualdez stressed that the commission to ensure that mass media entities are observing the constitutional provision that they should be fully owned and managed by Filipinos.

Herbosa earlier said that she would "defend to the hilt" the SEC's decision on Rappler.

"Efforts to impute political motivation to this case do a great disservice to Ms. Herbosa and the institution she leads," Romualdez said.

The Philippine envoy added that the decision of the SEC was about upholding the law and has no bearing on the state of press freedom in the country.

"We respect the SEC's decision. No one, including media organizations, should be exempt from complying with the law," the ambassador said.

In its editorial a few weeks ago, The New York Times said that it was no surprise that Duterte, who they referred to as an authoritarian, would go after independent media for criticizing his anti-drug campaign.

"Of course, Mr. Duterte should be condemned first and foremost for his blatant violations of human rights. But the ability of a democracy to repair the damage caused by bad leaders requires the survival of critical democratic institutions, a free press among them," the editorial read.