Nobel winner Maria Ressa, Rappler, cleared of tax evasion charges: ‘Truth wins’

‘These charges... were politically motivated... A brazen abuse of power’

Philippine Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa and her news organisation Rappler Holdings Corporation have been acquitted by a court of tax evasion charges, in a victory for human rights and freedom of the press in the South Asian country.

Ressa, 59, who was awarded the Nobel Prize alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, heads Rappler, which gained prominence for its critical reporting of former president Rodrigo Duterte and its draconian war on drugs.

The slew of legal cases against her is touted to be the former president's bid to muzzle critical reporting.