Tax process: acquittal for Nobel Peace Prize winner Ressa

A Philippine court has acquitted Nobel Peace Prize winner Ressa of tax evasion charges. Ressa had always denied the allegations and spoke of a revenge campaign by Duterte.

Normally she fights for freedom of the press in the Philippines, today she fights back tears. Maria Ressa, the journalist and manager of the Internet news portal “Rappler” can hardly believe it, she is looking for words and stops again and again.

It’s a big day for her: the tax appeals court has acquitted her of four charges of alleged tax evasion. “This acquittal – even if it took a while – is not just for ‘Rappler’, but for every Filipino who has ever been wrongly accused,” she says in a slightly shaky voice.

“Duterte’s Revenge Campaign”

Today’s verdict marks the end of a multi-year thriller for the Nobel Peace Prize winner – instigated by former President Rodrigo Duterte. He had accused Ressa of violating the law because her newspaper “Rappler” was in foreign hands. Ressa is also a US citizen.

The 59-year-old had denied the allegations from the start and saw them as Duterte’s revenge campaign against her critical reporting on his drug war. “These allegations, as you know, were politically motivated, they were unbelievable for us. A shameless abuse of power to keep journalists from their work.”

“Truth Wins”

Everyone can see on this day that she took the whole thing with her more than she might like to admit here. Ressa was in jail for years because of the allegations and was only released on bail.

In a firm voice she says: “Today the facts win. The truth wins. Justice wins.” Then she laughs and gets in the car and drives away.

Ressa was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her commitment as a journalist.