The conviction of Rappler’s Chairperson and CEO Maria Ressa by the Regional Trial Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeals, is a clear indication that in this jurisdiction, no one is above the law and that our courts are performing well. 

What is surprising is the fact that despite Ressa’s conviction and the cancellation of their permit to operate as a media outfit by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), she and her writers continue to criticize and malign our country in the international community.  As a matter of fact, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dipped her finger into the issue without even coming to the Philippines to know our laws. Even Ressa’s lawyer Amal Clooney seems not to understand that her client is not exempt from criminal liability just because Ressa is a Nobel Peace Prize awardee.

The statements of Clooney that Ressa “should be celebrated not thrown in jail” for her work and that the said journalist had been “considered guilty until proven innocent and then prevented from proving her innocence” are lies and apparently meant to undermine the Philippine judicial system. Ressa and her co-accused for cyberlibel Rey Santos Jr., were given their day in court. They were given time to adduce all the evidence to prove their innocence but apparently, they failed so the Court found them guilty as charged beyond reasonable doubt.

In the news website The Guardian, it was reported that a team of human rights lawyers are calling on our newly-installed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to ‘stop the rot’ and allow a free press. What more free press are they asking for?  Journalists are free to write and voice their opinion.  In the language of former President Duterte, Rappler and its writers enjoyed the freedom to write and criticize the government and its officials but they have “misused and abused” the said privilege.

Freedom of the press as guaranteed by the Constitution is not an absolute right.  It is subject to certain limitations provided by law.  A journalist cannot malign or destroy the reputation of individuals then run away and hide behind the curtain of press freedom.  Ressa was convicted by the Regional Trial Court.  Her conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeals.  Now she is seeking review of the decision from the Supreme Court.  What surprises me is the fact that despite her conviction, she and her alleged foreign-financed company continue to exercise press freedom here and abroad.  

As observed by DLSU Professor Antonio Contreras, convict Ressa enjoys press freedom not accorded to other convicted criminals. True.  He even said in an interview that in case Ressa will go to jail, she will not be the first Nobel Prize recipient to be imprisoned.  Fiat Justitia ruat caelum, meaning “Let justice be done though the heavens fall”.  Justice must be served.  Let us erase the notion that it is only in the Philippines where we can find a convict defaming her own country in the international community.