In a press conference earlier today, Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque denied that the president had anything to do with the closure order for news website Rappler.
Rappler, along with dozens of media organizations and supporters of the news website, called the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) decision to revoke their registration harassment and an attempt to silence independent media.
Rappler announced yesterday that the SEC had revoked their registration for allegedly violating constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities.
In the current Philippine constitution, media outlets have to be 100 percent Filipino owned.
Their reasoning was that funds coming from Omidyar Network, a fund created by eBay founder and entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar, constituted foreign ownership of the company.
“The En Banc finds Rappler, Incorporated and Rappler Holdings Corporation, a Mass Media Entity and its alter ego, liable for violating the constitutional and statutory Foreign Equity Restriction in Mass Media, enforceable through laws and rules within the mandate of the commission.”
Rappler explained that Omidyar’s investment was made through Philippine Depository Receipts (PDRs), an instrument that allows foreign companies to invest in local media without giving any ownership.
READ: Securities and Exchange Commission revokes news website Rappler’s registration
Roque said Duterte called him yesterday evening to shut down suspicion that he was behind the closure order.
“He called me to make sure to tell everyone that it isn’t true and that he doesn’t have anything to do with the SEC’s order,” Roque told reporters in Tagalog.
According to an ABS-CBN report, Roque said Duterte, who has slammed Rappler for its critical reporting, “found it unfair” for Rappler CEO Maria Ressa to assert that the SEC decision was a form of harassment and, thus, an attack on press freedom.
“The president found it unfair for Maria Ressa to claim violation of freedom of the press when, according to him, Rappler has been very active criticizing individuals for violating the Constitution and the laws of the land, and it turns out it is violating the Constitution,” said Roque, a former press freedom and human rights advocate during a news conference.
“He did not like the fact that Rappler was saying that this is a result of the president’s dislike for Rappler. Of course not. He has nothing to do with this decision. He was not even aware that this decision was coming up.”
Sureeee.
Roque further emphasized his point that the administration was not behind the SEC’s move by telling reporters that all commissioners except for one had been appointed by the previous administration.
Of course, that conveniently leaves out the fact that Solicitor General Jose Calida, who was definitely appointed by this administration, was the person who asked the SEC to investigate Rappler in the first place.
“The OSG is ready to defend the sound decision of the SEC in any forum,” an enthusiastic Calida said yesterday.
Meanwhile, since the decision is not yet “final and executory,” Rappler will be allowed to continue business as usual.
They have 15 days to file an appeal in the Court of Appeals.
Maria Ressa, Rappler’s CEO and executive editor, said that the SEC also did not give Rappler due process in its decision.
“The speed at which this has happened and the kinds of attacks that media, in general, has gone through shows a political nature of this decision. And we will be challenging this in court,” Ressa said during a press conference yesterday.
“The SEC did not follow the rules of procedure. They did not follow due process. The en banc issued the order to shut us down without giving us an [opportunity] to respond,” she added.
Ressa said that the news site will continue to do business as usual and are consulting their lawyers on the next steps. She also said that they would bring the case to the Supreme Court if needed.
“In terms of going to the Supreme Court, it depends again… the wheels of justice moves slowly in our country. We wanted it to move faster. But, apparently, in special interest cases, they move really fast. We’re prepared. Bring it. We will continue to fight it.”
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