--- description: Philippines journalist Maria Ressa, the founder of news site Rappler, was convicted of cyber libel Monday in a decision hailed as the latest blow to press freedom in the country. title: Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa Convicted of Cyber Libel image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt844e16d6fbe58bda/698a0f52e76ad21d24637c61/maria-ressa-convicted.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Philippines](/tag/philippines/) ## Philippines Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa Convicted of Cyber Libel by [Laignee Barron](/author/laignee-barron/) ## Laignee Barron Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2020 6:12 AM CUT  Maria Ressa, editor and CEO of Rappler, prepares to speak to reporters after being convicted for cyber libel at a regional trial court on June 15, 2020 in Manila, Philippines. A Manila court on Monday convicted Maria Ressa, veteran journalist and outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, for cyber libel, in a decision seen as a major blow to press freedom in the country. Maria Ressa, editor and CEO of Rappler, prepares to speak to reporters after being convicted for cyber libel at a regional trial court on June 15, 2020 in Manila, Philippines. A Manila court on Monday convicted Maria Ressa, veteran journalist and outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, for cyber libel, in a decision seen as a major blow to press freedom in the country.Ezra Acayan–Getty Images by [Laignee Barron](/author/laignee-barron/) ## Laignee Barron Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2020 6:12 AM CUT [Maria Ressa](https://time.com/5793800/maria-ressa-the-guardians-100-women-of-the-year/ "undefined"), the founder of an award-winning Philippines-based news site and critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, was [convicted of cyber libel](https://time.com/5561018/philippines-maria-ressa-arrested-fraud/ "undefined") Monday in a decision that is the latest blow to press freedom in the country. The Manila court found Ressa, editor and chief executive of online news site Rappler, and former researcher-writer Rey Santos Jr. guilty of libeling a businessman. The case concerned a May 2012 article investigating a former chief justice’s links to multiple businessmen, including Wilfredo Keng. The story cited an intelligence report from an unspecified agency and alleged Keng was tied to illegal activity. Keng denied any wrongdoing. The law Ressa and Santos were charged under, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, did not exist at the time the story was published. But the courts accepted the lawsuit because the story was considered to have been “[republished](https://www.rappler.com/nation/263749-verdict-primer-legal-factual-issues-rappler-maria-ressa-cyber-libel-case "undefined")” in February 2014 after an update was made to correct a typo. Ressa and Santos were [sentenced](https://www.rappler.com/nation/263790-maria-ressa-reynaldo-santos-jr-convicted-cyber-libel-case-june-15-2020 "undefined") to between six months and six years in prison, but will not immediately go to jail pending an appeal of the conviction at higher courts all the way up to the Philippines’ Supreme Court, according to [Rappler](https://www.rappler.com/nation/263790-maria-ressa-reynaldo-santos-jr-convicted-cyber-libel-case-june-15-2020 "undefined"). They were each ordered to pay 200,000 Philippine pesos (about $4,000) in “moral damages” and another 200,000 pesos in “exemplary damages.” Rappler, the company, was found to have no legal liability. “The verdict against Maria Ressa highlights the ability of the Philippines’ abusive leader to manipulate the laws to go after critical, well-respected media voices whatever the ultimate cost to the country,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. “The Rappler case will reverberate not just in the Philippines, but in many countries that long considered the country a robust environment for media freedom.” Rappler and Ressa have faced numerous government investigations and court battles that press freedom advocates have blasted as judicial harassment and an attempt to silence independent media. Ressa has been an outspoken critic of Philippine President Duterte’s government, and in particular of its deadly [war on drugs.](https://time.com/philippines-drug-war/ "undefined") Ressa was among four journalists and one news organization named [TIME 2018 Person of the Year](https://time.com/5475492/maria-ressa-rappler-person-of-the-year-2018/ "undefined") for their “pursuit of greater truths” in the face of threats. She was also included on [TIME’s 2019 list](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/5567672/maria-ressa/ "undefined") of the 100 most influential people. “My only crime is to be a journalist, to speak truth to power,” she said in her speech at the [TIME 100 gala](https://time.com/collection/time-100-gala-2019/5575490/maria-ressa-time-100/ "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5853556/maria-ressa-rappler-cyber-libel-philippines/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5853556/maria-ressa-rappler-cyber-libel-philippines/"},"headline":"Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa Convicted of Cyber Libel","datePublished":"2020-06-15T06:12:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T08:53:06.732Z","description":"Ressa was sentenced to between six months and six years in prison, but will not immediately go to jail pending an appeal","url":"https://time.com/5853556/maria-ressa-rappler-cyber-libel-philippines/","keywords":["Philippines","wire","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt844e16d6fbe58bda/698a0f52e76ad21d24637c61/maria-ressa-convicted.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Laignee Barron","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/laignee-barron/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt844e16d6fbe58bda/698a0f52e76ad21d24637c61/maria-ressa-convicted.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Maria Ressa Convicted for Cyber Libel","caption":"Maria Ressa Convicted for Cyber Libel","creditText":"Ezra Acayan–Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/philippines/","name":"Philippines"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5853556/maria-ressa-rappler-cyber-libel-philippines/","name":"Philippines Journalist Maria Ressa Convicted of Cyber Libel"}}]}] ```