Maria Ressa

Business groups: Ressa’s Nobel win shows freedom of expression in PH ‘under siege’

Aika Rey

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Business groups: Ressa’s Nobel win shows freedom of expression in PH ‘under siege’

NOBEL LAUREATE. Rappler CEO Maria Ressa testifies before the Court of Tax Appeals in Quezon City on March 4, 2021.

Jire Carreon/Rappler

'While the award recognizes her courage, it also highlights the conditions that require such courage,' the Makati Business Club says

Business groups on Saturday, October 9, said that Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa’s historic Nobel Peace Prize win showed that freedom of expression in the Philippines is “under siege.”

The Makati Business Club (MBC), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), and Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) recognized Ressa’s contribution in upholding and safeguarding Filipino’s rights amid attempts by the Duterte administration to silence dissent.

“While the award recognizes her courage, it also highlights the conditions that require such courage,” the MBC said.

“Freedom of expression is under siege in the Philippines and the world from people with the power and resources to attack legitimate journalism, abuse the internet, and scare citizens into silence,” it added.

The MBC said that constitutionally protected rights and freedoms such as expression, speech, the press, and information are the “bedrock of democracy and a society that provides peace, opportunity, and better lives for all people.”

Another business group, the FINEX, said that Ressa’s prestigious award is an affirmation of her “lifelong commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”

“These are crucial to a functioning democracy, without which we are subject to disinformation and outright abuse of power,” the group added.

The MAP, meanwhile, said, “Her award underscores the importance of protecting freedom of the press as our vanguard against the abuse of power and an essential element of democracy.”

The groups thanked journalists for their work and hoped that Ressa’s win would inspire journalists in the Philippines and around the world to always “uphold the truth even in the face of intimidation.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee selected Ressa and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”

The Rappler CEO has been the target of attacks for her media organization’s critical coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. Ressa is also a key leader in the global fight against disinformation.

She is the first Filipino to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the first woman in this year’s roster of awardees.

Vice President Leni Robredo, lawmakers, world leaders, various advocacy groups, and Filipinos online praised Ressa for her efforts to defend press freedom and for speaking truth to power.

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LIST: Cases vs Maria Ressa, Rappler directors, staff since 2018

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International lawyers also renewed their call for the Philippine government to drop all cases against her.

Ressa and Muratov’s win comes at a time when journalists around the globe are being persecuted.

Journalists in different parts of the world see this recognition as an important one, given the increasingly adverse and hostile conditions against those who seek and report the truth. – Rappler.com

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Aika Rey

Aika Rey is a business reporter for Rappler. She covered the Senate of the Philippines before fully diving into numbers and companies. Got tips? Find her on Twitter at @reyaika or shoot her an email at aika.rey@rappler.com.