Kumbinsido si Rappler CEO Maria Ressa na ginagamit sila para takutin ang mga mamamahayag at ang mga mamamayan na naglalabas ng katotohanan.
Pahayag ito ni Ressa matapos siyang hatulang guilty ng Manila Regional Trial Court sa kasong cyber libel para sa isang artikulo na inilabas ng Rappler noon pang 2012.
Emosyonal na umapela si Ressa sa mga kapwa mamamahayag at sa publiko na protektahan ang kanilang karapatan.
We are meant to be a cautionary tale, we are meant to make you afraid. Right? So, I appeal again. Don’t be afraid because if you don’t use your rights you will lose them, if we don’t challenge a brazen move to try to role back the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, we will lose them. Sa mga Pilipino na nanonood, hindi lang ito tungkol sa Rappler, hindi lang ‘to tungkol samin, tungkol ito sa inyo,” ani Ressa.
Devastating kung ilarawan ni Ressa ang naging hatol sa kanila ng hukuman.
Ayon kay Ressa, bagamat inasahan na rin naman nila ito, isa pa rin itong dagok sa kanila dahil sinasabi sa desisyon na mali ang kanilang ginawa.
It’s a blow to us but it’s also not unexpected considering that we are going to stand up against any kinds of attacks against press freedom, this is the first its followed by a whole slew of other cases; the tax evasion and then a whole slew that is based on foreign ownership and securities fraud. I really love that I became a criminal all in one year several times,” ani Ressa.
