Maria Ressa acquitted in key “anti-dummy” case, press freedom groups urge final conviction be overturned
On 19 June 2025, a Philippine court acquitted Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and five Rappler directors of foreign ownership charges. Press freedom groups welcomed the ruling but urged authorities to drop the last case still pending against her.
- A Philippine court acquitted Maria Ressa and five Rappler directors on 19 June 2025 in an “anti-dummy” case over alleged foreign media ownership.
- The court ruled the prosecution’s evidence was “grossly insufficient.”
- Press freedom groups welcomed the decision but urged the Supreme Court to overturn Ressa’s cyber libel conviction, which still carries a prison sentence.
- Rappler remains under pressure from a 2022 shutdown order, though it continues to operate pending appeals.
A Philippine court has acquitted Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and five directors of independent news site Rappler in a long-running case seen as politically motivated.
The decision on 19 June 2025 dismissed charges under the country’s anti-dummy law, which restricts foreign control of media outlets. Judges found the prosecution’s evidence “grossly insufficient” to prove liability.
The case, filed in 2018, centred on an investment by the U.S.-based Omidyar Network. Rappler argued the agreement involved financial instruments rather than ownership shares, a position now upheld in multiple courts.
Years-long legal battle
The acquittal follows a 2024 Court of Appeals ruling overturning an earlier Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) order to revoke Rappler’s licence. The appellate court concluded that Rappler had not breached constitutional provisions on media ownership.
Since 2017, Ressa and her colleagues have faced 23 cases, ranging from tax charges to cyber libel, during what observers describe as a campaign of judicial harassment under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
While many cases have since been dismissed, the wave of prosecutions placed Ressa and her newsroom under intense pressure.
Press freedom groups respond
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Hold the Line Coalition, an alliance of more than 80 organisations defending journalists, welcomed the acquittal.
In a statement, the coalition urged the justice system to “overturn Maria Ressa’s conviction in the last case still pending against her, to put an end to the years-long campaign of legal harassment.”
RSF described the ruling as “a crucial step in dismantling the legal arsenal used to intimidate journalists.”
Cyber libel conviction remains
Despite Thursday’s acquittal, Ressa and former Rappler researcher Reynaldo Santos continue to face serious legal risk.
Both were convicted of cyber libel in 2020 over a 2012 article linking a businessman to criminal activity. The article was later updated in 2014—after the cybercrime law took effect. Prosecutors argued this update made it subject to the law.
Critics, including legal scholars, have denounced the retroactive application of the legislation. The Supreme Court is now handling the final appeal.
If upheld, the conviction could mean a prison sentence of up to six years and nine months.
Rappler under pressure
In 2022, the SEC formally ordered Rappler to shut down, a move unprecedented in the country’s media history. The outlet has remained operational while appeals proceed, but the ruling intensified international alarm over media freedoms in the Philippines.
The outlet, founded in 2012, has gained prominence for its investigative reporting on government corruption, human rights abuses, and disinformation networks.
International calls for reform
Advocates say the acquittal should be a turning point for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who took office in 2022.
“The Philippine government now has an opportunity to demonstrate real commitment to democracy and the protection of journalists,” the Hold the Line Coalition said.
Press freedom groups are urging Marcos to ensure the withdrawal of politically motivated cases and the strengthening of legal protections for journalists.
A partial victory
For many observers, the court ruling is a positive but incomplete step.
“Maria Ressa’s acquittal is welcome news, but true justice requires overturning her remaining conviction and ensuring that no journalist faces similar harassment in the future,” RSF added.
The outcome of the cyber libel appeal will determine whether Ressa can move beyond years of courtroom battles and continue her work without the looming threat of imprisonment.
