It would seem, indeed, that Rappler was “targetted” by the Philippine government when it was singled out for shut down through action channeled via the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on charges of accepting foreign funds in exchange for some degree of control. Some “journalists” have incorporated that notion into the “assault on free speech” screeching fits Filipinos are being subject to today. Even more curious, they also see the question of Who might be next? as further reason to be outraged.
Perhaps it is high time that our so-called “journalists” are reminded of an important character trait that underpins excellent journalism. That character trait is curiosity. A true journalist would be curious about who else is in violation of constitutional bars against foreign ownership. That some of the Philippines’ most revered “journalists” prefer to be outraged than curious is, indeed, a disturbing thing. If Filipinos are subject to a media industry populated by people who are paralysed by outrage and not motivated by curiosity, then the country is in real trouble, indeed.
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It is very likely that Rappler CEO Maria Ressa felt reasonably safe violating the law because she sees others doing the same. That’s pretty much how the Philippines works, after all. Everybody breaks the law with impunity. Consequences are meted out selectively. Unfortunately for Ressa, Rappler was selected this time. But, see, just because you were picked out amongst all the crooks to be the regulator’s flavour of the month does not in anyway reduce your culpability for any of your unlawful acts.
On that principle, it is easy to see just how baldly hypocritical this whole “activist” movement around “free speech” is. You’d think that a truly progressive activist movement would advocate justice. Instead, they are, themselves, being selective about mounting their outrage campaigns. The bigger activist cause begging to be given attention is the cause for applying the force of the law across everyone subject to it. The revelation that Rappler had been violating the law with impunity for years should have been a wakeup call to investigate the entire industry.
Instead, Filipinos’ so-called “activist” chose to go down the lazy path by rallying around a fake victim.
Maria Ressa is a fake victim. In reality, she is a crime suspect. She is CEO of a company found to be in violation of the law. The real victims here are her company’s employees — people who had been delivering their end of the deal to their employer all these years. In exchange, their employer –their CEO — betrayed their trust and the trust of the state.
Filipino activists should break free of the paradigm that “free speech” is in danger in the Philippines. It is not. That idea was spun by a desperate suspected crook frantically covering up years of management negligence.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
“The real victims here are her company’s employees — people who had been delivering their end of the deal to their employer all these years. In exchange, their employer –their CEO — betrayed their trust and the trust of the state.”
Based on exactly this line/sentence ^, there is no need to take Rappler down (regardless whether we like Rappler – as newspaper – or not). Just prosecute Ressa and leave Rappler alive for the sake of the employees. Because they did nothing wrong.
At the same time, change that stupid law. Readers dont need to be protected. They can judge for themselves what newspaper is shitty and what newspaper is a quality newspaper. If the Philippines want to progress and move forward, it really has to change laws and the constitution. Otherwise, it will stay a poor 3rd world country.
Unfortunately, you can’t dictate how crimes of that nature are to be meted. Rappler itself was built upon questionable foundation, having to masquerade itself in the past. And now we learn a regime-changing foreigner is the one funding them.
Sorry, but that company deserves to be gutted to the ground.
I am not dictating anything. But all I read here is that people here say: “hang them, kill them, shut Rappler down”. For me that is too simple and too primitive in thinking. We have to look at (all) the laws. Not just saying: “oh, he broke the law, so he should hang. It is the law.” Many laws were written in another time frame. And times do change.
And before people here will say: Oh so you have an interest in Rappler. The answer is no, I dont have. I can even defend my biggest enemy. Can you and will you? Because it is NOT about “my” enemy.
Here is one of my favorite topics to mention.
In the Philippines, abortion is not allowed, right? Do you really think that Filipinas will have no abortion? If you say yes then you are quite naive.
““The citizenship requirement is intended to prevent the use of such facilities by aliens to influence public opinion to the detriment of the best interests of the nation.””
I am a foreigner (an alien) and by commenting here I can influence the public opinion without even investing money in GRP. So, wouldnt it be better to deny me entrance to GRP (in compliance with/to the same law)? Oh and wait, pls also deny me entrance to the country bec maybe I can and maybe I will influence Filipinos while I am there.
What the law actually tells me , is this:
“All Filipinos are dumb and stupid. And because they are dumb and stupid, they need to be protected (from aliens).”
That is really a law to be prouid of. Your own government tells you that you (the entire population) is dumb and stupid. Wow.
Now, isnt it time to end such stupid laws for once and for good? It is not as if Rappler killed a person.
Read about how omidyar funded rappler and what omidyar has been doing elsewhere with the USA.
O_H,
So a foreign investor can cause (more) problems to Filipino readers then a Filipino investor? How naive. If we take that law in a consistent way, then the Philippines should and must close the borders for any foreign national and also blog websites like this one should be off-limits for people like me.
The skepticism which men/women affect towards their higher inspirations is often not an honest doubt, but a guilty negligence, and is a sign of narrow mind and defective wisdom.
It is now the “Era” of: Fake media, Fake victims, Fake news, Fake Bloggers, Fake Journalists, Fake Vice President, Fake heroes, Fake saints, Fake activists, Fake churches, Fake priests, Fake Senators, Fake COMELEC, Fake elections, etc…all are now fakes. It is what Filipinos want themselves to be.
Maria Reesa simply violated the Philippine law. She has to pay for it. Other media whose status are in jeopardy has to watch out. We want them closed, and be punished also.
Time to cleanse the Fake media !
Fake god as well
Fake pilipinos as well produced during the 31 years of yellow dynasty educational system where they were taught fakes.
What will happen if the pilipinos stage people power to rush federalism? can the yellow opposition stop it?
The yellows would call it anarchy. After all, if it’s not from them, it’s a crime. That’s how entitled these self-worshipping pigs are.
THIS UGLY OLD LADY LOOKS GOOD BEHIND BARS !!
For me, what makes Ressa a crime suspect is less of violating constitutional provisions on business, more of the cyber libel complaint filed against her by businessman Wilfredo Keng in connection to his name being dragged in the Corona impeachment trial back then.