Ressa: Duterte could be ‘seeing too much fraud from where he sits’

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte may just be “seeing too much fraud from where he sits,” Rappler CEO Maria Ressa said Wednesday as she responded to the Chief Executive’s latest tirades against her.

In a tweet, Ressa clapped back at the President, who, in a taped speech aired around 1 a.m. Wednesday, threatened to expose the veteran journalist as a “fraud.”

“4 years: spewing hate on social media, manipulating Filipinos, weaponizing the law,” the award-winning former CNN journalist wrote.

“We call a spade a spade. Was he referring to me? Maybe the President is just seeing too much fraud from where he sits,” she added.

4 years: spewing hate on social media, manipulating Filipinos, weaponizing the law. We call a spade a spade. Was he referring to me? Maybe the President is just seeing too much fraud from where he sits. :) #CourageON #DefendPressFreedom #HoldTheLine https://t.co/W6vGMMw81a

— Maria Ressa (@mariaressa) July 8, 2020

In his after midnight rant, Duterte repeatedly accused Ressa of being a fraud.

“Ressa is a fraud. Believe me. Give us time. [It’s] too early for you to enjoy your awards. You are a fraud. We are just compiling [information] at this stage and someday in bold letters, we will show your incongruity,” Duterte said partly in Filipino.

Ressa and her news site, Rappler, have been on the receiving end of a series of cases after publishing stories critical of the Duterte administration.

Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. were recently convicted for cyber libel. They remain free on post-conviction bail.

Many times, Ressa claimed the cases against her and Rappler were politically motivated.

KGA