Embattled journalist Maria Ressa continues to stand up to the Philippine government as she confirmed yesterday that an arrest warrant has been issued for her following multiple tax evasion charges.
Ressa, the CEO and executive editor of news website Rappler confirmed this to reporters last night upon arriving at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, ABS-CBN News reported.
According to one of her lawyers from the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALaw), the warrant was issued by Judge Danilo Buemio of the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 265, Radyo Inquirer reported.
Last week, Rappler Holdings Corporation and Ressa were charged with tax evasion by the Court of Tax Appeals and the Pasig City Regional Trial Court, The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Ressa has denied allegations of tax evasion and said that the cases are “part of government’s desperate efforts to harass and silence independent media.”
The Philippine government has attacked Ressa and Rappler for publishing stories that are critical of President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration.
In January of this year, Duterte himself called the news outlet “fake news” for a story about how his assistant Bong Go allegedly intervened in a PHP15.5 billion (approx. US$300 million) project to acquire ships for the Philippine Navy.
About a month later, Rappler reporter Pia Randa was banned from entering the Malacañang Palace complex, effectively barring her from attending official press briefings, ABS-CBN News said in another report.
Ranada, who had been covering stories about Duterte, was also banned from other presidential events.
This came after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoked Rappler’s registration for allegedly violating constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities.
Media outlets in the Philippines are required to be 100 percent Filipino-owned. The SEC ruled that investments from Omidyar Network constitute as foreign ownership.
However, Rappler maintains that this is not the case since the investments were made through Philippine Depository Receipts, which allows foreign companies to invest in local media without giving any ownership.
Rappler was allowed to continue operations despite getting its registration revoked but continues to be in conflict with the government. The warrant of arrest issued to Ressa is the most recent illustration of this.
In a story from Rappler, Ressa called the cases against the news outlet “politically motivated.” However, the journalist continues to fight.
“I’m ready to post bail. Easier to navigate a war zone than the social media landscape in this country,” she said, according to GMA News.
