Senator Leila de Lima stated the cyber libel conviction of Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr was “but another demonstration of the Duterte government's weaponization of law against those who dare speak truth to power.” RELATED STORY:
RAPPLER CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa confers with co-accused Reynaldo Santos Jr and counsel Ted Te at the Manila Trial Court Branch 46, where Judge Montesa hands down a guilty verdict in the cyber libel case filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng. Photo by Dante Diosina Jr/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 convicted Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa and former Rappler researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos over cyber libel charges in a high-profile verdict handed down Monday, June 15. Rappler as a company was declared to have no liability.
The court allowed bail under the same bond. They have each been ordered to pay P200,000 in moral damages and another P200,000 in exemplary damages. Once the conviction becomes final, they will each have to pay P400,000 in damages. Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa ruled that only Ressa and Santos are guilty of cyber libel charges. Rappler Inc was initially charged in the suit. The court sentenced Ressa and Santos to a minimum 6 months and 1 day to a maximum of 6 years in jail over charges filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng in a case thatRessa and Santos won't have to go to jail because the conviction is appealable all the way to the Supreme Court.
The verdict was handed down in person during the pandemic, when the small courtroom of Branch 46 accommodated only the defendants, the complainant, one lawyer from each of the firms representing them, and 3 reporters. (READ:
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