Ressa at NBI over cyber-libel complaint vs 2012 Rappler story

Rappler Executive Editor and CEO Maria Ressa. (SCREEN GRAB FROM RAPPLER FACEBOOK LIVE)

Rappler Executive Editor and CEO Maria Ressa appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday to comply with a subpoena over a cyber-libel complaint filed against her in December 2017.

Aside from Ressa, former Rappler reporter Reynaldo Santos and businessman Benjamin Bitanga were also the subjects of the subpoena issued in connection with a complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng.

“We are here. We have nothing to hide,” she told reporters, as she noted that she still has no copy of the complaint.

“I believe this is a concerted effort that can have impact on all of us, on press freedom. We will continue to fight on any front that opens. We will face any charge against us,” she also said.

Ressa pledged to cooperate with any proceedings.

“That doesn’t mean that the proceedings were not friendly on a case to case basis. We will continue to address it but when you look at the full pack it is really clear,” she added.

The complaint against Ressa stemmed from the 2012 Rappler story about Keng lending his sports utility vehicle to the late Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The NBI Cybercrime Division said that even if the article was published in May 2012 and the Anti-Cybercrime Law was enacted in September, such report is still covered.

The summons against Ressa, Santos, and Bitanga was issued on January 10, or a day before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled to revoke the online news site’s license to operate on January 11.

READ: Rappler’s Maria Ressa , ex-reporter summoned to NBI for cybercrime raps

The NBI was also tapped to investigate the possible criminal liability of Rappler in relation to the SEC decision.

READ: SEC orders Rappler to shut down

/kga