Duterte critic Ressa held
manila — Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, whose news site has repeatedly clashed with President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested at her Manila office on Wednesday in what Press freedom advocates branded an act of “persecution”.
Her detention on a charge of “cyber libel” is a dramatic escalation in government pressure bearing down on Ressa and her website Rappler, which was already facing tax evasion charges that could shut it down.
It comes after Duterte has cracked down on high-profile critics in the Press and legislature who dared oppose his signature anti-drug campaign that has killed thousands. “She’s been arrested and she’s been read her rights,” Rappler co-founder Beth Frondoso said.
Ressa, who was named a Time magazine ‘Person of the Year’ in 2018 for her journalism, left the Rappler offices with plain-clothes officers and surrounded by cameras. “The case is ridiculous and the fact that they issue an arrest warrant is a travesty of justice,” Ressa said after her arrest. —
manila — Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who has repeatedly clashed with President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in her Manila office on Wednesday in what rights advocates called an act of “persecution”.
Her detention on a charge of ‘cyber libel’ is a dramatic escalation in the legal pressure bearing down on Ressa and her website Rappler, which was already facing tax evasion charges that could shut it down.
“She’s been arrested and she’s been read her rights,” Rappler cofounder Beth Frondoso said. “Fingers crossed — we’ll try to post bail tonight.”
Ressa, who was named a Time
Magazine “Person of the Year” in 2018, left the Rappler offices with agents from the National Bureau of Investigation. Rappler has drawn the administration’s ire since publishing reports critical of Duterte’s signature anti-drug crackdown that has killed thousands of alleged users and pushers since 2016. However, the new case against Ressa and former Rappler reporter Reynaldo Santos, Jr. stems from a 2012 report written about a businessman’s alleged ties to a thenjudge on the nation’s court. —