A Philippine court has ordered the country’s business regulator to reinstate the license of Rappler, a news organization co-founded by Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa, a prominent critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa and Rappler have faced numerous legal challenges during Duterte’s administration.
The appellate court, in a decision dated July 23 but only made public last Friday, reversed a previous ruling by the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that had ordered Rappler to cease operations. The SEC revoked Rappler’s operating license in 2018 for allegedly violating foreign ownership rules in media operations, as it sold depositary receipts to a foreign entity. This decision was upheld in 2022, just days before Duterte left office.
The appellate court ruled that the SEC “acted with grave abuse of discretion” in canceling Rappler’s registration certificate. The news organization welcomed the ruling, stating that “this latest victory in a series of legal battles for Rappler is a much-needed reminder that the mission of journalism can thrive, even under pressure: to speak truth to power, to stay the course, and to build a better world.”
Rappler added in its statement that “it is a vindication after eight torturous years of harassment. The court was unequivocal in its rejection of the SEC’s closure order from 2018, which was declared ‘illegal’ and a ‘grave abuse of discretion.'” Rappler continued its operations while appealing the SEC’s order.
Under the Philippine Constitution, media investments are reserved for Filipinos or Filipino-controlled entities. The case arose from a 2015 investment by the U.S.-based Omidyar Network, founded by eBay’s co-founder Pierre Omidyar. Rappler has previously argued that Omidyar Network was a passive investor. Omidyar later transferred his investment in Rappler to local management to avoid Duterte’s attempts to shut it down.
Carlos Conde, a researcher for the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, expressed that “justice and common sense have prevailed” and called the court’s decision “long overdue.” Ressa is currently out on bail after being convicted in 2020 in a cyber-libel case. She has appealed the decision to the country’s highest court. Additionally, she faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 15 years if convicted in a separate case stemming from the Omidyar investment.