Time’s Person of the Year fights for free press

Journalist clashed with Philippine president Duterte, Rey Rosales writes.

Prior to being named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year (2018), Maria Ressa took a short breather from journalistic work and spent time with our students here at MacEwan University as a visiting lecturer and scholar in the winter of 2016.

Maria talked a lot about climate change and the coverage of natural disasters, particularly Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon ever recorded in history, which killed more than 6,000 Filipinos and wreaked billions of dollars in damages to the Philippine economy.

At the time, her mind was also on preparing Rappler, the popular and influential online publication she founded, for coverage of the May 2016 presidential election.

Maria spent decades as an international correspondent for Cable News Network (CNN) and also as a news director for a national news network prior to launching her own innovative and successful social-media driven publication.

Always having a keen eye for politics, she predicted the rise of a charismatic mayor from the southern city of Davao, a leader with despotic tendencies named Rodrigo Duterte, who went on to win a resounding victory as Philippine president.

Almost immediately upon assuming office, Duterte launched a bloody war on drugs which has already claimed more than 5,000 lives.

Many of the victims to date were petty drug users and low-level dealers, with hundreds of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

Maria earned the ire of the administration due to Rappler’s uncompromising and unflinching coverage of the war on drugs, the extrajudicial killings, plus other strongman’s tactics. All of these actions have been justified under the guise of fostering peace, prosperity and the achievement of a tiger economic status.

In a move designed to intimidate and chill free speech and freedom of the press, Maria and Rappler have recently been slapped with multiple cases of tax evasion.

The government contends that her publication is a startup venture supported by foreign investors and that it needed to be taxed to the hilt.

This is a far cry from the traditional treatment of a publication entity which pays little to no taxes because of the role it plays in informing society.

In essence, a tax levied to the press has traditionally been viewed as an infringement on the freedom of the press.

Maria and her legal team expect to win these tax evasion cases in court.

The international community, as well as journalists around the world, have rallied to support Maria’s cause. Time Magazine’s honour is very much a fitting move.

It is a way of drawing attention to the rise of authoritarianism around the world and the growing threat to free speech and the press posed by the ascension of leaders with dictatorial instincts.

More than 30 years ago, another Filipina was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.

Corazon Aquino led a movement which ultimately led to the overthrow of another dictator named Ferdinand Marcos.

Time and time again, it is always the women of the Philippines who stand up to authoritarian rule and fight to promote and protect freedom and democracy.

Their quiet confidence and their determination to stand for what is right should inspire us all.

Mabuhay!

Time and time again, it is always the women of the Philippines who stand up to authoritarian rule.