Today (June 15, 2020), Maria Ressa, CEO of the news platform Rappler, and Reynaldo Santos Jr., a former researcher-writer of Rappler, were convicted of cyber libel under the Cybercrime Law. Two journalists. Two people doing their jobs, were convicted. While they will not be jailed, as their offense may be appealed to the Supreme Court, their guilty verdicts mean anyone could still be held liable for libel for an online article posted even BEFORE the Cybercrime Law was enacted.
This also gives us a preview of what could be normalized if the Anti-Terrorism Bill is passed: arrests and convictions of anyone who dares criticize this government. The Duterte’s administration’s message to its critics is this: get in line or you're next.
But we will not be cowed by fear. If you weren’t angry before, start getting angry now. If you were angry before, get angrier. Stop them from killing our democracy. Stop them from killing our country.
