Rappler, Philippines Independent News Publisher, Ordered to Close
variety.comPatrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefRappler, the independent news organization that earned its co-founder Maria Ressa a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, has been ordered to close down.The paper had been under siege for much of the past six years for its frequent criticism of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.The order to close came just two days before Duterte is due to end his term as president and hand over to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., heir to the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.It also came just days after the country’s National Security Council ordered the National Telecommunications Commission to block access to 28 news websites.
They are accused of supporting terrorism through affiliation with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
The order against Rappler was issued by the country’s Securities & Exchange Commission which reiterated a previous order to revoke Rappler’s certificates of incorporation.A Filipino American, Ressa was previously found guilty of cyber-libel, in June 2020, and faces between six months and six years in jail.
She was a major part of the 2020 PBS documentary “A Thousand Cuts” which examined how Duterte use social media to spread disinformation.The PSEC has accused Rappler of being controlled from abroad, which is not permitted by the Philippines constitution.
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