By Gerard Carreon in Manila
An appeals court has overturned a 2018 government order that ordered the closure of Rapplera Philippine online news site celebrated for its critical coverage of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs,” which left thousands dead.
The 7th Special Division of the California Court of Appeals ordered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to “restore the certificate of incorporation of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corp. to its records and systems” in a July 23 ruling that was not made public until Friday.
The court ruled that all publications and lawsuits related to the “illegal retraction (of Rappler)” must be withdrawn.
Rappler and its CEO, Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, faced years of legal battles after Duterte condemned them for their critical reporting on the deadly drug war.
“This court decision is the latest in a series of court victories for rappers, is a much-needed reminder that journalism’s mission can thrive even in the line of fire: to speak truth to power, to hold the line, to build a better world,” the online news portal said in a statement.
“It is a relief after eight agonizing years of harassment. The CA clearly rejected the SEC’s 2018 closure order, declaring it ‘illegal’ and a ‘serious abuse of discretion,'” it said.
Rappler’s business license was revoked in January 2018 after the SEC alleged that the news website was partly owned by foreign companies Omidyar Network, founded by eBay co-founder Pierre Omidyar, and North Base Media, owned and founded by a group of journalists committed to a free press.
Foreign ownership prohibited
The SEC objected to Philippine depositary receipts issued by Rappler to the two foreign groups. The Philippine Constitution prohibits foreign ownership of media sites.
Omidyar then donated his shares to Rappler’s Filipino managers. The CA then asked the corporate regulator to reconsider its decision since the issue had been resolved. However, the SEC upheld its order before Duterte’s term ended.
Rappler Operations continued while the website appealed the order.
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Philippine press freedom – Rappler wins new court ruling. Video: Al Jazeera
In its decision, the CA said Rappler is “currently wholly owned and managed by Filipinos, in accordance with the Constitutional mandate.”
In 2021, Ressa received the Nobel Peace Prize for shedding light on thousands of extrajudicial executions under Duterte, who is currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court.
The Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.
According to the Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), at least 199 media workers have been killed in the Philippines since the restoration of democracy in 1986.
This figure includes the 32 journalists and media workers who were murdered in a single incident in 2009: the Ampatuan massacre in Mindanao, described as the world’s largest single-day attack on the working press.
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Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz
