SEC desidido nang ipasara Rappler Inc.; news outlet aapela
MANILA, Philippines — Desidido ang Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) na ipatupad ang 2018 decision nito na ipasara ang media company na Rappler Inc., bagay na pumutok ilang araw bago matapos ang termino ni President Rodrigo Duterte.
Kinatigan ng SEC ang nauna nitong utos, eksakto isang linggo matapos ibalitang ipina-block ng gobyerno sa sites ng news outlets na Bulatlat at Pinoy Weekly kasama ang online platforms ng 26 pang progresibo at rebolusyonaryong grupo.
"The decision of the [Court of Appeals] has attained finality and the latest resolution of the appellate court only bolsters the Commission's position that Rappler and [Rappler Holdings Corporation] violated the Constitution and that their certificates of incorporation should therefore be revoked," ayon sa pahayag ng SEC, Miyerkules.
"The contentions raised by Rappler and RHC have been squarely and adequately addressed by the SEC and the CA in their respective decisions, resolutions and orders, including the latest issuance from the Commission."
SEC says “shutdown” order vs Rappler Inc. “merely puts in effect its (2018) decision and those of the Court of Appeals.”
— Ian Nicolas Cigaral (@ipcigaral) June 29, 2022
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa says the company will appeal the decision, adding that the “proceedings were highly irregular”. @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/leCCy43AOX
"In this light, the latest order issued by the Commission En Banc merely puts in effect its earlier decision and those of the Court of Appeals," patuloy ng SEC.
'Hindi pa pinal'
Ngunit sa isang press conference, sinabi ni Francis Lim, legal counsel ng Rappler, na iba ang kanilang paniniwala sa pananaw ng CA na i-revoke ang certificates of incorporation ay hindi pa pinal.
Kinatigan ng CA ang revocation ng certificates of incorporation ng kumpanya nang ilang beses, noong Hulyo 2018, Pebrero 2019 at Disyembre 2019, ngunit inutusan nito ang SEC na tignan kung nasolusyonan ng pag-donate ng Omidyar Network ng Philippine Depositary Receipts sa staff ng Rappler.
Ani ni Lim, nag-sumite sila sa Korte Suprema noong Abril 2019 — matapos katigan ng CA ang kanilang naunang utos — ng isang Manifestation na hindi maaaring maging "final and executory" ang desisyon ng appeals court nang hindi pa napag-aaralan ng SEC ang ligal na epekto ng donasyon ng Omidyar sa staff ng news site.
Una nang sinabi ni Rappler CEO Maria Ressa na ang reklamong ito, na umusbong mula sa pagkwestyon sa Philippine Depositary Receipts ng Omidyar, ay isang "political attack" sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag.
Kaso iaapela
Hindi naman daw papayag ang Rappler sa panibagong kautusan ng SEC na inilabas noong ika-28 ng Hunyo, 2022 at idiniing hahamunin nila ito.
"We were notified by our lawyers of this ruling that effectively confirmed the shutdown of Rappler," ayon sa isang pahayag ng kumpanya ngayong umaga.
"We are entitled to appeal this decision and will do so, especially since the proceedings were highly irregular."
RAPPLER STATEMENT
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) June 29, 2022
In an order dated June 28, our Securities and Exchange Commission affirmed its earlier decision to revoke the certificates of incorporation of Rappler Inc and Rappler Holdings Corporation. #HoldTheLine #CourageON
https://t.co/39bL0KJ2Dw pic.twitter.com/8Q0N6551lh
Sa ilalim ng Article XVI, Section 11 (1) ng 1987 Constitution, ipinapaliwanag na tanging mga Filipino citizens lang ang pwedeng magkaroon ng ownership at management ng mass media.
Una nang sinabi ng Rappler sa dati nitong petisyon na hindi sila sakop ng naturang restrction dahil sa "hindi" raw sila mass media entity sa ilalim ng constitutional provisions.
Hindi pa laganap ang internet sa Pilipinas noong ginawa ang Saligang Batas. Taong 1998 nang sabihin ni noo'y Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III na "hindi mass media" ang internet.
'Hindi katanggap-tanggap'
Pinalagan naman ng Bulatlat, na humaharap din sa restriksyon ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas, ang kinakaharap na mga kahirapan ngayon ng Rappler sa ilalim ng administrasyon si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
"It is alarming how laws are weaponized to muzzle independent media. Administrative orders and other regulatory powers of government, such as franchise in the case of ABS-CBN, should not be used to trample upon press freedom and free expression," wika ng Bulatlat.
"Just like the National Telecommunications Commission's order for the internet service providers to restrict access to wesbsites of Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly, the SEC order against Rappler is yet another form of censorship."
Below is Bulatlat's statement condemning the SEC shutdown order vs. Rappler. pic.twitter.com/gJhuerHhfp
— Bulatlat (@bulatlat) June 29, 2022
Lunes lang nang aminin ni Duterte, tatay ng magiging bise presidente ni president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., na kinausap at ginamitan niya ng "presidential powers" ang Kamara laban sa media giant na ABS-CBN. Matatandaang hindi na-renew ang prangkisa ng Kapamilya Network matapos maghimutok ng kontrobersyal na pangulo.
Si Bongbong, na uupong presidente simula bukas, ay anak ng diktador na si dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr. na nagpasara rin ng mga media entities noong panahon ng Martial Law.
"The recent incidents create a chilling effect and are part of the deliberate efforts to discredit and stifle the press," panapos ng Bulatlat. — may mga ulat mula kay Ian Cigaral
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