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People of the Philippines v. Santos, Ressa and Rappler

People of the Philippines v. Santos, Ressa and Rappler
CourtManila Regional Trial Court
Branch46
Full case name
People of the Philippines v. Reynaldo Santos, Jr., Maria Angelita Ressa and Rappler, Inc.
DecidedJune 15, 2020 (2020-06-15)
CitationR-MNL-19-01141-CR
Case history
Prior action(s)NBI and Keng v. Santos et al. (XVI-INV-18C-00049)[1]
Related action(s)
Alleged ownership irregularities:
  • Securities and Exchange Commission: In re: Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation (SP Case No. 08-17-001)
  • Court of Appeals: Rappler Inc. v. SEC (CA-G.R. SP No. 154292)
  • Pasig City RTC Branch 265: People of the Philippines v. Maria Ressa (R-PSG-19-00737-CR)

Alleged defamation:

Alleged tax evasion:

  • Pasig City RTC Branch 165: People of the Philippines v. Rappler Holdings Corp. (R-PSG-18-02983-CR)
  • Court of Tax Appeals: People of the Philippines v. Rappler Holdings Corp. and Maria Ressa (Crim. Case No. O-679)
Ruling
PonenteRainelda Estacio-Montesa
Maria Ressa was found guilty of cyberlibel, and the Court found that a guilty verdict in her case would not unduly harm the right to free expression in the Philippines.
Laws applied
Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012
Constitution of the Philippines (1987).—Article III Section 4

People of the Philippines v. Santos, Ressa and Rappler (R-MNL-19-01141-CR), also known as the Maria Ressa cyberlibel case, is a high-profile criminal case in the Philippines, lodged against Maria Ressa, co-owner and CEO of Rappler Inc..[2] Accused of cyberlibel, Ressa was found guilty by a Manila Regional Trial Court on June 15, 2020.[3][4]: 36 

The case centered on an article published on Rappler by Reynaldo Santos Jr. which accused the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines of accepting favors from Filipino-Chinese businessman Wilfredo Keng.[5] Santos, Ressa, and others were charged with cyberlibel retrospectively, as the article was originally published four months before the Cybercrime Prevention Act came into effect.[6][7] Rappler Inc., as a corporation, was not found liable; Santos, however, as author, was. Ressa, in her capacity of Rappler's chief executive officer, was also found liable.[8] By the time Santos was charged, he was no longer working as a journalist for Rappler.[9]

The court ruled that Ressa "did not offer a scintilla of proof that they verified the imputations of various crimes in the disputed article ... [Rappler] just simply published them as news in their online publication in reckless disregard of whether they are false or not."[4]: 34  The judgement also argued that Ressa had deliberately called herself an executive editor, rather than the editor-in-chief, in an attempt to avoid liability.[4]: 25  Ressa, along with Santos Jr., appealed to the Court of Appeals after the conviction.[8] However, the court upheld the decision, noting that the article is "defamatory or libelous per se";[10] a motion for reconsideration was denied by the appellate court, prompting Ressa to elevate the case to the Supreme Court for a judicial review.

The ruling was criticized by several human rights groups and international organizations,[11][12][13][14] with the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights describing the case as part of a "pattern of intimidation" against the Philippine press.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DOJResolution was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Ratcliffe, Rebecca (June 15, 2020). "Journalist Maria Ressa found guilty of 'cyberlibel' in Philippines". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa (June 15, 2020). "People of the Philippines v. Reynaldo Santos Jr., Maria Angelita Ressa and Rappler Inc". Manila Regional Trial Court. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Abogado.com.ph.
  5. ^ Santos Jr., Reynaldo; Rufo, Aries (May 29, 2012). "CJ using SUVs of 'controversial' businessmen". Rappler. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Orendain, Simone (October 3, 2012). "Cybercrime Law in Philippines Draws Protests". Voice of America. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Buan, Lian (January 19, 2018). "NBI: Rappler can be liable for cyber libel despite non-retroactive law". Rappler. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Buan, Lian (June 15, 2020). "Maria Ressa, Rey Santos Jr convicted of cyber libel". Rappler. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Buan, Lian (June 18, 2020). "'I'm scared to go to jail, I'm not as fearless as Maria', says Reynaldo Santos Jr". Rappler. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  10. ^ Patag, Kristine Joy (July 12, 2022). "In rejecting Ressa appeal, CA says cyber libel can be filed over 15-year-old posts". Philstar. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  11. ^ Cabato, Regine (June 15, 2020). "Conviction of Maria Ressa, hard-hitting Philippine American journalist, sparks condemnation". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference :16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Editorial Board (June 15, 2020). "The Philippines slides toward autocracy". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2020.

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