The Court of Appeals (CA) ordered to restore the Certificate of Incorporation of news website Rappler, Inc. and its owner Rappler Holdings Corporation, voiding the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) 2018 shutdown order.
The media company, co-founded by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, was previously issued a shutdown order for violating laws on foreign ownership in media. However, in a resolution promulgated on July 23, the CA stated that the SEC is compelled to restore the news website’s media license, reversing the initial verdict laid against them.
Furthermore, they indicated that the media company was “wholly owned and managed by Filipinos”, overturning the accusations against them.
In an official statement on Friday, Rappler welcomed the CA’s ruling on the “long-standing threat” to their news outlet’s existence. They also expressed that the court’s declaration of them as “illegal” and a “grave abuse of discretion” was torturous for them.
However, with the recent verdict, they have come out victorious from eight years of fighting for their company.
“It brings us relief and joy that the CA is standing with us — and with journalism. This inspires us to do more, do better,” Rappler said in their statement.
This was one of the several string of cases filed against them during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term. Rappler was known for its scrutiny of Duterte, exposing the propaganda made by online trolls, and their documentation on the war on drugs campaign.
Rappler is awaiting the dismissal of their two remaining cases on cyber libel at the Supreme Court and the Anti-dummy case at the Pasig City Court.
