The Court of Tax Appeal (CTA) on Wednesday cleared Rappler Holdings Corp. and its chief executive officer (CEO) Maria Ressa from four counts of tax evasion charges filed in 2018.
In the decision, the CTA First Division said the "prosecutors failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt" that Ressa and Rappler evaded tax payments.
In an interview with the media, emotional Ressa expressed relief with the court's decision after four years and two months of trial.
"Today, facts win. Truth wins. Justice wins," she remarked.
"These charges as you know were politically motivated, a brazen abuse of power, and meant to stop journalists from doing their jobs. But these cases are where capital markets, rule of law, and press freedom meet," Ressa added.
The Nobel laureate said the acquittal is dedicated not only to her and Rappler but also to every Filipino "who has ever been unjustly accused."
In 2018, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) accused Rappler of falsifying tax returns by omitting the proceeds of a sale of depositary receipts to two foreign entities.
The BIR earlier alleged that the online news site violated the constitutional provision that prohibits foreign ownership and foreign investor shares in local media companies.
