ABS-CBN’s veteran news anchor Korina Sanchez-Roxas stands with Rappler CEO Maria Ressa after the latter was convicted of Cyberlibel.
Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Rey Santos Jr. were found guilty of cyber libel in a case filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng.
The case concerned a 2012 online article investigating former chief justice Renato Corona’s links to multiple businessmen, including Keng. It cited that the latter was allegedly involved in an illegal activity, which he denied.
Ressa is known for being an outspoken critic of the government has faced numerous investigations and judicial harassment that attempted to silence her and Rappler. But despite the intimidation, she confidently stood for the truth.
Sanchez-Roxas on Instagram showed her support by citing five reasons why she stands with Ressa.
First, she stated that all reports are based on facts, implying that’s what reporting means in the first place.
“They only reported the FACTS. Diba yun naman ang trabaho namen???”
Second, she questioned the lawsuit’s timeliness for the article was published before the Cybercrime law was enacted.
“The report came long before the CyberLaw was enacted. Really? Hinabol? Pinilit?”
Third, the story in full was not focused on the concern as another side of the story was included.
“The other side of the report was taken and reported as well. Equal time. Anu problema niyo?”
Fourth, she again questioned how this kind of issue is even qualified for being the first cyber libel trial in the country.
“Ito lang ang kauna-unahang conviction of ‘cyberlibel’ in Philippine history. Talaga? At eto pang mahina ang kaso? Pinag-initan talaga?”
And lastly, angered by the verdict she exclaimed that Filipinos are not dumb to not see another predictable counter move from the government.
“So predictable ang move. Diba? Anoba. Bobo ba kame? Hindenoh 🙄🤨. Pag ito hindi pa natin pinansin nanaman, ewan ko nalang saan pupulutin ang Pilipinas. Hay. Tatayo ako dito. Anoba.”
Maria Ressa and Korina Sanchez were previously associated as the former was once the senior vice president of News and Current Affairs and managing director of ANC (ABS-CBN News Channe) thus making her the previous boss of the latter.
Korina earlier stated her dismay on the negligence of press freedom in a talk with Rappler, as she shared her feelings towards ABS-CBN‘s shut down two days after Press Freedom Day.
She recalled her times as a young journalist in the late 1980s when democracy and freedom of the press were given due respect after it had been restored, unlike today’s environment for journalism where it is argued.
She said, “I don’t want to be pointing fingers… but the landscape today to me is just unrecognizable. It’s so, so far from those days when we can go on air and tell the President exactly what we thought of him or her at that time.”
Philippine’s online news website Rappler has played a vital role in providing quality investigative journalism to the public, with journalists that hold crucial roles in exposing human rights abuses. The guilty ruling only acts as a further blow to press freedom and fragile democracy of the country.
