Ressa posts bail for cyberlibel charge
MANILA, Philippines — After spending a night at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office, Rappler chief executive Maria Ressa posted a P100,000 bail before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 on Thursday.
Ressa arrived at the court at around 11 a.m. Also present were Rappler’s Managing Editor Glenda Gloria and her lawyer.
Ressa was arrested on Wednesday by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with a cyberlibel complaint filed against her by a businessman.
READ: Rappler’s Maria Ressa arrested for cyberlibel
The Rappler executive spent the night at the office of the NBI after a Pasay City night court allegedly refused to accept bail following her arrest.
READ: Maria Ressa spends night at NBI
Ressa’s cyberlibel case stemmed from the complaint of businessman Wilfredo Keng, who was the subject of Rappler’s article titled “CJ using SUVs of controversial businessman.”
The “CJ” being referred to in the story was the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was then under an impeachment trial.
Keng had requested Rappler take down the article, but the online news site instead updated the story in 2014.
The story was published on May 29, 2012, but the Cybercrime Act was enacted in to law on September 12, 2012 and took effect only on October 3, 2012. /muf
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