Pimentel on Maria Ressa arrest: Don’t politicize the issue

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Saturday asked the public not to politicize the issue of Maria Ressa’s cyberlibel charge amid the controversial arrest of the Rappler executive.

“Alisin kasi natin ang politika, pino-politicize kasi yan. Ang puno’t dulo niyan, merong lumabas na article sa Rappler na merong nasaktan na nung binasa niya nasaktan siya kasi inakusahan siya sa being involved in a crime,” Pimentel said over local radio station DWIZ.

The senator was reacting to the uproar of Ressa’s arrest by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with a cyberlibel charge.

READ: Ressa arrest sparks int’l outrage

The case stemmed from businessman Wilfredo Keng’s complaint from a 2012 Rappler article, titled “CJ using SUVs of controversial businessman,” which claimed that then Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was at the time under an impeachment trial, used a car owned by Keng.

Rappler cited “an intelligence report” that claimed that Keng was “under surveillance by the National Security Council for alleged involvement in illegal activities, namely human trafficking and drug smuggling.”

Keng denied the allegation and requested Rappler to take down the article. The story, however, remained online and was even updated on February 19, 2014.

Pimentel then stressed to focus on the cyberlibel charge instead of “politicizing” the issue.

“‘Wag na po yung pinopolitika yung issue na dahil sa ibang article nila critical sila sa administration,” he said.

“Itong kasong ito pahayagan sila, news site sila na meron silang reporting merong naisulat na article na pribadong tao o negosyante na nasaktan. Ang tawag diyan sa printed word libel, sa online world cyberlibel,” he added.

He added that the concerned court will decide whether the news agency is guilty or not on the cyberlibel case.

“Paglabanan na yan sa korte kung guilty or not guilty yan na ang issue,” he said.

However, when asked about on the issue of the arrest warrant procedure, Pimentel argued that the news agency may file an administrative complaint if they find it “abusive.”

“Nasa pagimplement, tingnan na lang nila kung merong nang abuso. Merong pag-remedyo diyan ng pag-aabuso, pwede nilang file-an ng administrative yung nagimplement,” he said. /jpv