My Thoughts On Maria Ressa's GUILTY Verdict For Her Cyberlibel Case

Well, it's official that Maria Ressa is indeed GUILTY of cyber-libel. It was a case that was passed against her by Filipino-Chinese businessman Wilfredo Keng. I don't think it was mere tort as the false accusations were rather heavy. The whole case of Rappler itself is NOT a matter of press freedom but an abuse of it. What Ressa and her fellow reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr. who could be sentenced from six months up to a maximum of six years. However, she is still allowed to post bail which means that the real issue is about her OFFENSE and NOT press freedom.

Yes, the case was meant to silence Ressa but...

Was the case meant to silence her? Yes, it was a case meant to silence her but NOT a government action. Rather, it was a businessman's attempt to silence her because of what she and Santos did last 2012. Those were very heavy false accusations that were pushed towards. What does President Rodrigo R. Duterte have to do with Ressa's current plight. If anything, the case was filed last 2012 and guess WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT? Noynoy Aquino signed the Anti-Cybercrime Law into law last 2012. Critics of Ressa should actually thank Noynoy for signing that law that placed Ressa into hot water.

One has to consider the real issue between Keng and Ressa. Keng's basic human rights were maligned by a NEWS ORGANIZATION. A news organization has much bigger responsibility than nobody bloggers to retract any mistake they've made. They need to take his side of the story and not just Ressa's side of the story. This is the problem of one-sided journalism. Keng's quest to silence them is not because he's an enemy of press freedom. Rather, it was a misuse and abuse of press freedom that got him into trouble. Are the rights of a businessman who pays taxes lesser than that of Ressa and Santos? Did those defending Ressa and Santos bother to find out the background of the case? Is Keng even a minion of Duterte?

An issue of press freedom? Democracy is dead? We need to consider the real case against Ressa. What supporters of Rappler tagging #IStandWithRappler need to realize is that the government has not issued a cease and desist against it. Rappler is still very much operational. The Supreme Court order is against Ressa AND Santos - not against Rappler itself. If press freedom was truly in danger then why didn't Duterte critic JC Punongbayan get arrested? Punongbayan has written several articles against Duterte but he's not in jail. Many others like Jover Laurio, Raissa Robles, Karen Davila, Jim Paredes, Leah Navarro, Yoly Ong, Cynthia Patay, and Agot Isidro continue to demean the president but there is NO single warrant of arrest released against them. Why is the case filed against Ressa and Santos? Keng's case was an issue of what placed him in jeopardy. I can't say that the slowdown of the case as a result of Noynoy's term either. It seems more like the problem of the judicial or following due process to prove Keng was indeed innocent. Meanwhile, the arrest of Reynaldo Carnesse Orcullo in Agusan City was not an executive order but a case of policemen who took the anti-cybercrime law into the extreme

The case of Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Maria Ressa debunked by COMMON SENSE 

Once again, HRW is rearing its ugly head. HRW even dares to call Ressa's and Santos' sentence as a blow on press freedom. The nonsense of HRW is shown as follows:

The Duterte administration in this and other cases has demonstrated its determination to intimidate and shut down the Rappler website. Ressa and other Rappler journalists suffered a withering online campaign using what Ressa called the “weaponization of the internet” against critical media and citizens. Duterte banned Rappler’s reporters from covering the presidential palace.

The campaign against Rappler is widely seen as retaliation for the website’s reporting on Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has included in-depth reporting on extrajudicial killings committed by police and police-linked “death squads.” Human Rights Watch’s own reports have corroborated Rappler’s findings. In May 2020, the government shut down ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcast network, which had also been critical of the Duterte administration.

The campaign against Rappler occurs in the context of worsening media freedom and freedom of expression in the Philippines. Journalists from other media groups have suffered intimidation and attacks online and offline. Recently, the government began targeting social media users who posted comments critical of the government, mainly on Facebook. The government has investigated dozens of social media users and arrested several for violating the country’s “fake news” regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Once again, HRW shows its stupidity that it's not really a human rights organization. Phelim Kine has shown biases first by having his obsession over Liela Dilemma. You can also consider his recommendations to Vice President Leni Loud Robredo without knowing the situation first. I don't have anything against foreign intervention as long as those who intervene prove themselves effective. HRW hasn't even done anything to keep the United States of America (USA) in peace and order. The writer of the HRW article really doesn't see the reality of the case behind Rappler and a private individual. What HRW needs to answer is why hasn't Rappler UNTIL NOW been padlocked? Why is there NO executive order to padlock Rappler? An issue of press freedom? Then why is Rappler even coddling Filipino communist Toady Casino as a Rapplerite? Not to mention why would the higher-ups of Rappler even approve of an opinion piece that says that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPC) must be legalized instead of having an anti-terrorist bill? Hmmm should HRW even bother to explain why they're defending Rappler? Are the people in HRW secretly connected to Filipino communist organizations?

If HRW also wants to really be "concerned" about press freedom then I suggest that they go to places where press freedom is non-existent. Why not go to China first and attend to REAL repression of press freedom done by the Chinese Communist Party? Why not go to North Korea where there's all that real war against press freedom. Those who appeal to HRW as an authority to defend Rappler aren't doing themselves a favor. HRW is a massive failure of mind. It couldn't even take care of its problems in New York City where its main headquarters are located. I wonder did they even consider the REAL REASON why Keng filed a libel case against Ressa? Are Keng's human rights important or not? That's what they need to answer as they meddle yet again without knowing the situation.

Also, for HRW did they really bother to see if ABiaS-CBN's non-franchise channels are still operational? For their information, ANC is still operational. Kapamilya TV is still operational. ABiaS-CBN is NOT shutdown as they want to make it look like as it did. Rather, ABiaS-CBN lost its free airwaves due to several violations. Otherwise, ABiaS-CBN can still continue to air its nonsense on paid frequencies.

Even the Inquirer news report says Duterte supports press freedom

I've had my issues with the Inquirer such as its questionable choice of cover girls - a recent report from the same platform has it reveal that Duterte supports press freedom as said form the Palace. Here's an excerpt from the Dilawan's favorite newspaper:

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque noted that Duterte never filed a libel complaint against journalists publishing critical news against him.

“Naniniwala po siya sa malayang pag-iisip at pananalita at ang paninindigan nya ang taong gobyerno ay hindi dapat onion-skinned kinakailangan hinaharap ang pula ng taumbayan, lalo na kung ito ay nanggagaling sa ating media,” Roque said.

(He believes in free thinking and speech and his stand is that government officials should not be too sensitive and should face the criticisms of the people, especially from the media.)

Roque also said that Duterte once supported Davao broadcaster Alexander Adonis who faced a libel case.

Adonis, a former anchorman of Bombo radio-Davao jailed for libel, challenged the country’s libel laws before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, arguing that criminal libel violates treaty obligations to promote freedom of expression.

Roque, a former human rights lawyer before joining the Duterte Cabinet, served as Adonis’ legal counsel.

This also becomes a real issue when the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) is being OA again. Is convicting somebody guilty of a heavy false accusation been an attack on freedom of the press? You have the freedom of the press but using it to malign someone with uttermost malice is another issue.

Also, never mind about what Pignoy Ako Blog has to say about the verdict against Ressa

I would say that perhaps Pignoy Ako Blog has inadvertently shown the anti-intellectualism in its pseudo-intellectual platform. It's crazy to demand nobody bloggers to show up or call them "journalist wannabes" or "bias like Mocha Usok" when Jover herself is biased and one-sided. The problem with Jover is not her criticism of Duterte - it's that she's one-sided AND she doesn't really give useful alternatives either. It should be no surprise that Ressa herself supports Jover. Why does Ressa call Ilda of Get Real Philippines a "minor, minor blogger" yet she praises Jover as "well-researched"?  Just remember that Ressa herself too was a sponsor during the wedding of the said person.

The analysis done by Jover is based on one-sidedness. I don't like the analysis of Mocha but that doesn't make Jover any saner or more intelligent. I don't like Dutertards or Noytards either - neither side proves productive because they don't correct the flaws of their leaders. Yet, the followers of Jover are praising her like there's no tomorrow or that she's God's gift to the Philippines. To start with, Jover's writing and analysis are rather biased. It's not that Jover has no right to write her blog but I'm talking about how she herself is anti-intellectual. Bloggers have a right to a voice, she has a right to a voice too. However, it seems Jover has elevated herself to higher levels considering that she had a Yellow-studded wedding with her list of ninongs and ninangs which included Leni Loud herself.

Her analysis that says linking Keng's daughter Patricia Anne became an appointee of Duterte last 2019 might be a very false accusation. Why do I usually get my news from GMA News? GMA News is far LESS BIASED than ABiaS-CBN News. I may have been upset with GMA-7 due to some rather questionable actions or that their dubs are no less robotic than ABiaS-CBN - at least they are a lot more balanced even if they do still have mistakes. Her appointment was done in 2019 and the case Keng filed was done WAY BEFORE the appointment. Jover's logic is always skewed up and so are her follows. That's why it's best NOT to argue with her and her followers.

It should be something that Yellowtards love to hang around the Pignoy Ako Blog page. What useful information does the blog have anyway? Why are they sharing it across social media? Who should care what Pinoy Ako Blog has to say? Now, they're using Pinoy Ako Blog as a valid source to defend Rappler? I'm not saying my blog should be treated as a valid source. Far from it because I'm just expressing or rating my personal opinions with some facts to try and back up what I feel needs to be said. Pignoy Ako Blog is not even a news site but an OPINION blog. Jover is entitled to her personal opinion with her facts but why her followers treat everything she says as fact continues to derail her. Using Pignoy Ako Blog to defend Ressa would just further put both in a negative light.

What award will Ressa get next?

Once again, do her awards even mean ANYTHING anymore? Her apologists are still bragging about her awards such as the Golden Pen of Freedom last 2018. I'm just wondering with Ressa's current predicament that if the so-called experts of the world will give her another award next. All I can say is bring it on and give her more awards. I don't care even if she suddenly gets another award from organizations that think like her. She has long appealed to Western media considering that she actualy grew up as an AMERICAN citizen. So I guess it's only normal she got those awards. Then she may get more awards but nobody should care anymore since some awards are just given for the sake of giving them.