Amid Rappler shutdown, US encourages freedom of speech, press freedom

US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff faces the media during his visit at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City on Wednesday, June 29. (Photo by Daniza Fernandez/INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — U.S. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday said the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden supports media workers’ rights as he stresses his country’s “deep commitment” towards freedom of speech and press freedom.

“I’ll leave the administration to respond to that. But I know, on behalf of the president, the vice president, and the entire administration, it’s just a deep commitment towards freedom of speech, freedom of expression, human rights, and that’s what we stand for and that’s what we believe in,” he answered in a media interview when asked for his reaction on Rappler’s shutdown during his visit at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City.

“The United States encourages freedom of speech, freedom of the press wherever we are in the world,” the lawyer went on, saying that the US administration values freedom of the press.

Early Wednesday, Rappler chief executive officer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) affirmed its initial decision to shut down the news outlet.

Ressa said that they will appeal the decision “especially since the proceedings were highly irregular.”

In 2018, the SEC ordered the revocation of Rappler’s license to operate.

/MUF