Palace says it’s Maria Ressa who is abusing ”power as journalist”

February 15, 2019

Malacanang said on Friday that Rappler CEO Maria Ressa is the one abusing her ''power as a journalist''.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement after Ressa, who was detained overnight at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters after she failed to immediately post bail on the cyber libel charge, vowed to hold the government accountable for violating her rights.

"Now you say ‘there is an abuse of power.’ Excuse me Maria, abuse of power? You are the one abusing your power as a journalist," he said in a press briefing.

"You’re marshaling your colleagues to support you on the basis of a misplaced and baseless cause. What is the cause? The cause is you’re saying that the government is instilling fear because of the case filed against you. There is no connection whatsoever, so you are the one using your power as a journalist… We all know media is the fourth estate in attacking the government as well as this administration," said Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel.

He said Ressa should be "woman enough" to face the complaint against her.

Businessman Wilfredo Keng filed cyber libel against Ressa months before the  Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 became effective.

While the Rappler story came out in 2012, the Department of Justice came out with the information last month indicting Ressa and a former reporter for the cyber libel case.

A warrant of arrest was issued late Wednesday afternoon, but Ressa failed to post bail as the judge at a Pasay court did not accept the bail on concern that he might not have jurisdiction over the case. Ressa has to stay overnight at the NBI headquarter until she was able to post bail on the following morning.

Rappler is a strong critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration. There is a move by the government to close the online news agency for the alleged constitutional violation on ownership and for alleged tax evasion.

Duterte, in an interview with reporters Thursday night in Bulacan, denied any involvement on Ressa's arrest, saying that he did not even know Keng and the facts of the case.

Ressa also accused the government of "weaponization of the law."

But Panelo said, " Oh Maria… you are the one using or weaponizing the law. What is the law? The Constitutional right to freedom of expression – you are using that now against the government." 

"But the Constitution says, libel is not protected by the freedom of expression – that is precisely why you are charged, because as far as this complainant is concerned, his rights have been violated by you," he added.

Various groups and individuals here and abroad have slammed the government for Ressa's arrest. Celerina Monte/DMS