Maria Ressa Got Hit Hard On HARDtalk

It was last 2018 when I wrote the post where I had my opinion where Stephen Sackur may want to interview Maria Ressa. Now it happened and how did it end? You may want to listen to the whole interview later. However, I'd like to share my thoughts which how Sackur (as predicted) ended up doing the same as Antonio Trillanes IV and Maria Lourdes Sereno. Like Trillanes and Sereno, they were both people with impressive academic records who ended up failing in life. Ressa today could be considered as one of those.

The interview had Sackur actually did some HARDtalk on Ressa's face. Early on, he mentions that the Philippines still has freedom of expression being done. Best hard fact? Sackur mentions straight to Ressa's face rather politely that the Rappler website HAS NOT BEEN SHUT DOWN. The issue is not about press freedom! Why is it that until now no arrest warrant has been released for the likes of Tony La Vina and JC Punongbayan who are also staunch critics against the Duterte Administration? Both La Vina and Punongbayan continue to criticize the president and are still good as FREE MEN. Also, Sackur mentions that the Philippines is NOWHERE NEAR like North Korea in press freedom. Not to mention, Sackur has ended up cutting in some of her statements which might be out of disbelief.

Ressa even dares to talk about the award for Seal of Honesty. This has me thinking about with the YEARS of DISHONESTY and CORRUPTION - who can say that the honesty awards in the Philippines are even valid? Sometimes, an award can be bought. I can't be certain but was there money under the table rather than validly declared taxes? Philippine politics is so FULL OF DISHONESTY that Sackur even mentioned about the post-Marcos years. Worse, Sackur even said what Ressa says is fascinating but where is the evidence? The same hard-hitting tactic did on Trillanes and Sereno also hits Ressa.

Either way, she got hit on HARDtalk. She is indeed influential but not everyone influential is good. Besides, did any of her awards abroad help her when Sackur grilled her in this interview? Did Ressa think Sackur will buy her story like the other clueless Western media that kept awarding her? Worse, Sackur did mention Ressa does have prison hanging on her head at the end of the interview. He doesn't even look a bit impressed by her. I really had a hard laugh from the hard talk!