Law trampled down under Duterte administration

The news, “Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, writer found guilty of cyberlibel,” (Inquirer.net, 6/15/20) was a very rude awakening.

The conviction of Maria Ressa illustrates what we see as another example of the hell-bent determination of this administration to oppress and suppress courageous women who stand for the truth in their fight against what they see as evil, unjust, and wrong.

This is in stark contrast to the seeming condonation, encouragement, and tolerance of those who curry and get favor from this administration even as they perpetrate fake news and lies, as in the case of that other woman in this administration.

The article for which Ressa and writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. were charged was published four months before the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or Republic Act No. 10175 came into effect. From what we understand, the conviction violated Ressa and Santos’ constitutional rights; the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Constitution states, under Section 22 of Article III, that “No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.”

We see the conviction of Ressa and Santos as not only the suppression of press freedom, but also the trampling down of the majesty of the law under this administration. God bless this benighted nation!

Ramon Mayuga
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