FALSE: Maria Ressa jailed for 15 years

At a glance

• Claim: A photo shows Rappler CEO Maria Ressa during her booking procedures for her arrest after the Court of Appeals (CA) upheld her cyber libel conviction, sentencing her to 15 years in jail.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: The photo was taken from Ressa’s arrest booking procedures in 2019 for a different case. Cyber libel is a bailable offense, and as of writing, Ressa is still availing of all legal remedies. The recent CA ruling added 8 months and 20 days to the 6-year maximum jail term imposed by the Manila Regional Trial Court in June 2020.
• Why we fact-checked this: Several copy-pasted posts are circulating on social media with the false claim. 
  

Complete details

Numerous photos showing Rappler CEO Maria Ressa’s alleged arrest appeared on Facebook on Wednesday, July 13. According to the copy-pasted posts, Ressa will be jailed for 15 years.

The caption reads: “MARIA RESSA, 15 TAON KULONG! (Maria Ressa, jailed for 15 years!) […] From NOBEL PRIZE to NO BAIL PRIZE.”

This claim is false. 

Ressa is not in jail. Even after the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the cyber libel conviction of Ressa and former Rappler researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr., both are still entitled to post-conviction bail.

The Rules of Court allow post-conviction bail for bailable offenses. Cyber libel is a bailable offense. If someone is convicted of such, he or she can first appeal to the Court of Appeals, then the Supreme Court. Those convicted may post bail and remain free until there is final affirmation of the ruling.

In a statement released on July 8, Rappler said that both Ressa and Santos Jr. are pursuing all legal remedies. Their legal counsels are still reviewing the CA’s decision on their cyber libel conviction. 

“Both [Ressa and Santos] will avail of all legal remedies available to them, including elevating the decision to the Supreme Court for review,” the statement read. Thus, their conviction is not yet final.

Cyber libel is punishable by 6 months and 1 day to up to 6 years of jail time. However, the CA ruling added 8 months and 20 days to the initial prison sentence set by Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio Montesa in June 2020, which followed the minimum 6 months and 1 day to a maximum of 6 years. 

To add, the photo used by several copy-pasted posts on Facebook was misrepresented. It was taken during her booking procedures in 2019 over anti-dummy law charges. For the said case – which has been remanded to prosecutors – the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) said that Ressa’s right to due process has been violated by prosecutors. – Rochel Ellen Bernido and Loreben Tuquero/Rappler.com 

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