Rappler head Maria Ressa has been found guilty of cyber libel charges on Monday, June 15, 2020, with the verdict being handed out by Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46.

Her former researcher Reynaldo Santos, Jr., who wrote the May 2012 article that alleged businessman Wilfredo Keng was involved in anomalous deals and had questionable ties with the late Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona, was also found guilty.

The sentence carries a jail term of a minimum six months to a maximum six years. It is bailable. Ressa and Santos were also ordered to pay a total of P400,000 in moral and exemplary damages. Rappler was found to have no corporate liability in the case.

“Freedom of the press is the foundation of every single right you have as a Filipino citizen. If we can’t hold power to account, we can’t do anything,” said Ressa in a press conference following the verdict.

Ressa has another libel and two criminal cases alleging illegal foreign ownership of Rappler.

Before the decision was announced, Ressa told Al Jazeera that she was “hopeful” of a favourable decision, but added that she had tried to be “mentally prepared” for any outcome. (Tribune)