Manila news site blocked

– The Philippine government has revoked the operating licence of leading news website Rappler, officials said yesterday in a ruling denounced by President Rodrigo Duterte’s critics as another blow to press freedom.

Rappler, set up in 2012, is among a clutch of Philippine news organisations that have sparred with Duterte over their critical coverage of his brutal drugs war.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it had revoked the incorporation certificates of Rappler and Rappler Holdings Corp because they violated a provision in the constitution reserving media ownership to Filipinos.

“[Both are] existing for no other purpose than to effect a deceptive scheme to circumvent the constitution,” the agency said in a January 11 ruling posted on its website yesterday.

Rappler’s acting managing editor, Chay Hofilena, said the company would file a court appeal against the ruling, which is due to take effect in 15 days. “This is pure and simple harassment, the seeming coup de grace to the relentless and malicious attacks against us since 2016,” the website said, adding Duterte was among those who had attacked it.

“We will continue bringing you the news, holding the powerful to account for their actions and decisions, calling attention to government lapses that further disempower the disadvantaged,” it said.

The case concerns Rappler Holdings’ decision to issue Philippine depositary receipts for shares of Rappler Incorporated that the government said were sold to foreign companies.

At his state of the nation address to congress last year, Duterte vowed to expose Rappler’s “American ownership”.

The ruling followed setbacks to other Philippine news organisations that have criticised Duterte’s war on drugs that has killed nearly 4 000 suspects. Last March, Duterte described top newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer and leading TV broadcaster ABS-CBN as “sons of whores” and warned them of karmic repercussions for criticising his drug war.

Four months later, the Inquirer announced its owners were in talks to sell the publication. A business tycoon who backed Duterte’s 2016 election bid later disclosed he was planning to buy the Inquirer. Last year, Duterte threatened to block ABS-CBN’s application to renew its operating franchise.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines denounced the Rappler ruling. “We call on all Filipino journalists to unite and resist every and all attempts to silence us,” it added.

Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros also criticised the ruling as “a clear attack on press freedom”.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government respected the SEC ruling. “The SEC is empowered to determine the legality of corporations,” he added. – AFP