Duterte denies involvement on Maria Ressa’s arrest

February 14, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte denied on Thursday that he had a hand in the arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa.

In an interview in Bulacan after the proclamation and kick-off rally of PDP-Laban, Duterte s aid he did not know the complainant in the cyber libel charge filed against Ressa.

"Far from it...I don't know Keng. Frankly, I do not know him," he said referring to businessman Wilfredo Keng, the complainant.

He said he also did not know the details of the charge filed against Ressa.

"I cannot say anything. I have yet to read (the case)...I cannot give you an opinion," he added

Ressa, along with her sympathizers, has been pointing to the administration as the one behind her arrest. 

She said that what happened to her was an attack to the freedom of the press, which Malacanang denied. 

Ressa had to stay overnight at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila for failure to post bail after a warrant of arrest came out late Wednesday afternoon.

She was only able to post P100,000 bail with the court on Thursday morning. Celerina Monte/DMS