NUJP ‘outraged’ over SEC order to shut down Rappler

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has expressed outrage at the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) revocation of the registration of online news outfit Rappler for supposedly violating the Constitutional prohibition against foreign ownership of media.

President Rodrigo Duerte, during his state of the nation address last year, threatened to have Rappler’s ownership investigated, but Rappler said that its foreign investors merely placed money in the outfit but do not own it.

“It was but one of many threats Duterte has made against media critical of him and his governance, such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer and broadcast network ABS-CBN, whose franchise renewal he threatened to block,” NUJP said in a statement on Monday.

“We are sure Rappler, as it has said, is capable of mounting a legal defense against what amounts to their closure,” it added.

NUJP said it declares its full support to Rappler and all other independent media outfits that the state has threatened and may threaten to shut down.

“We call on all Filipino journalists to unite and resist every and all attempts to silence us,” the organization said.

The SEC earlier ordered the revocation of Rappler’s license to operate for allegedly “violating the constitutional and statutory Foreign Equity Restrictions in Mass Media.”

READ: SEC orders Rappler shut down

Despite this, Rappler said it is standing its ground and vowed to continue bringing the news, “holding the powerful to account for their actions and decisions, calling attention to government lapses that disempower the disadvantaged.” /je

READ: Rappler vows to continue bringing news: ‘We will hold the line’