The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that it has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into possible criminal charges against Philippine news website Rappler.
This comes two days after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoked Rappler’s business registration.
DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II told reporters yesterday that he had asked his staff to investigate Rappler.
“I have directed my legal staff to study the legal issues of this case,” Aguirre told reporters.
When asked if they are looking into criminal charges, he said, “yes, it will cover all angles.”
The DOJ order was shown to reporters in a press conference earlier today.
NBI, pormal nang inatasan ng DOJ na imbestigahan ang posibleng mga naging paglabag sa konstitusyon ng Rappler. | via @JohnsonManabat pic.twitter.com/z9eD8Mze77
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 17, 2018
The order read: “If evidence warrants, (the NBI is granted authority) to file the appropriate cases against those found liable.”
The investigation will look into if Rappler violated anti-dummy laws, which would punish those found guilty of “evasion of the laws on the nationalization of certain rights, franchises or privileges.”
Rappler, along with dozens of media organizations and supporters of the news website, called the SEC’s decision to revoke their registration harassment and an attempt by the Duterte administration to silence independent media.
Rappler has yet to issue a statement following the DOJ’s order.
But Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa previously said that she was ready to face criminal charges.
“If that’s what they decide, what can you do, right? We are asking and fighting for due process. If they decide they are going to arrest me, I will have bail. What can you do? We live in this country,” Ressa told CNN Philippines’ yesterday.
“Our lawyers are always saying, prepare for the worst. I’m prepared for the worst,” she added.
While Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque denied that he had anything to do with the SEC decision, the president called Rappler “fake news” yesterday for running a story about his special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go.
At the moment, Rappler is continuing business as usual while the SEC’s decision is not yet “final and executory.”
Ressa told reporters during a press conference on Monday that she was even ready to bring the case to the Supreme Court.
“We’re prepared. Bring it. We will continue to fight it.”
Reader Interactions