Palace disputes claim of media intimidation

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has disputed a claim by a media advocacy group that the Philippine press is experiencing “increasing levels of intimidation” in the case of journalist Maria Ressa and news website Rappler.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo insisted the cases against Ressa have nothing to do with free speech. 

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) previously expressed concern about what it described as the “alarming” and “oppressive” working environment for journalists in the Philippines.

CPJ cited the filing of cases against Ressa and Rappler, President Duterte’s “attacks” against journalists, his threat to withhold the license of television network ABS-CBN and the “highly organized” online harassment against members of the press.

“The expression of sympathy of New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists to the plight of Ms. Maria Ressa... is a hasty generalization that has no basis in fact nor in law,” Panelo said in a statement Tuesday.  

“We reiterate that Ms. Ressa is a high-profile journalist who invokes freedom of speech and hides before the mantle of press freedom when she is criminally charged for a violation of law not related to her exercise of her right to free speech,” he added. 

Panelo claimed Ressa or Rappler does not represent the entire media in the Philippines. He argued that there are Filipino journalists who are “similarly critical, even outrageously hostile and biased” against the administration’s policies but are not facing cases because they did not violate the law. 

Panelo maintained Ressa is facing criminal charges because of “illegal acts,” including tax evasion, violation of the anti-dummy law and cyber libel. 

“She cannot escape liabilities for these just because of her profession or politics. Ours is a system of law and no one is above it nor exempt from it,” Panelo said. 

Panelo also denied that Filipino journalists are experiencing an oppressive working environment. He said it was during Duterte’s term when the Philippines was removed from the list of deadliest countries for journalists as indicated by a 2018 report released by press freedom group Reporters Without Borders. – Edu Punay, Helen Flores