Maria Ressa refuses to enter plea on cyber libel case

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Rappler executive editor and CEO Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on Tuesday refused to enter a plea for the cyber libel case before the Manila Regional Trial Court.

Because of their refusal, as a standard procedure, the court entered a “not guilty” plea on their behalf.

The arraignment pushed through after the Manila Court refused to dismiss the case in an order dated April 12.

In an order dated April 12, Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montessa of the Manila RTC Branch 46 ruled that online publishers could be sued within 12 years of the publication of an allegedly libelous report.

READ: Manila court refuses to dismiss cyberlibel raps vs Rappler

Ressa earlier said she’s shocked on how the Manila Court has ruled on her motion to quash. She said her case will be a “good test case” to determine if judicial independence exist. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)