Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. INQUIRER FILE
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� World Association of 黑料社papers and 黑料社 Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum wrote a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, saying the cyberlibel charge against Rappler chief executive Maria Ressa was 鈥減olitically motivated.鈥�
鈥淲e are seriously concerned that the charges are politically motivated and form part of a systematic campaign by the government to use the law as a weapon to silence Rappler鈥檚 reporting, which has often been critical of your presidency,鈥� the international press groups wrote in a joint letter to Duterte.
The letter was released after Ressa was arrested on Wednesday by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
READ: Rappler鈥檚 Maria Ressa arrested for cyberlibel
The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier approved the filing of cyberlibel against Ressa in relation to a complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng.
READ: DOJ allows filing of cyberlibel case vs Rappler鈥檚 Ressa, reporter
The case stemmed from a Rappler article titled 鈥淐J using SUVs of controversial businessman鈥� published in 2012. The 鈥淐J鈥� being referred in the article was the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was under an impeachment trial at that time.
In that article published on May 29, 2012, Rappler cited 鈥渁n intelligence report鈥� that claimed that Keng was 鈥渦nder surveillance by the National Security Council for alleged involvement in illegal activities, namely 鈥榟uman trafficking and drug smuggling.鈥�
In Keng鈥檚 complaint against Rappler, it said the article 鈥渃ontained malicious imputations of crimes, with bad intentions, purposely to malign, dishonor and discredit my character and good reputation鈥� of the businessman.
Writing Duterte, WAN-IFRA said, 鈥淲e would also like to remind you that bringing charges for a crime that was not enacted at the time of the alleged infraction is not only a legal absurdity, it also risks rendering the Cybercrime Prevention Act unconstitutional, as it would become an 鈥榚x post facto鈥� law.鈥�
The story was published on May 29, 2012, while the Cybercrime Act was only enacted in to law on September 12, 2012 and took effect only on October 3, 2012.
However, Rappler updated the article on Feb. 19, 2014, which the Department of Justice said made the article 鈥渁ctionable.鈥�
READ: Rappler CEO arrested; no bail recommended
鈥淲e respectfully call on you to take all possible steps to ensure that the NBI follows the advice of its own lawyers and withdraws the indictment for cyber libel,鈥� WAN-IFRA and World Editors Forum said.
鈥淲e also ask you to halt the apparent persecution of Rappler and Maria Ressa so that they may continue to play an active role in civic debate and carry out the watchdog function of the press,鈥� it added.
WAN-IFRA and World Editors Forum represent 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. /cbb