Taking Maria Ressa to task

OVER the way convicted libeler, Maria Ressa of Rappler delivered her speech last December 10, 2021 on receiving her ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ award, we agree with everyone that it was “marvelous” and even “penetrating” in its eloquence that it is right for her to earn all the plaudits she received, especially from the gathered crowd of the gullible and the uninformed, both here and abroad.

Had Ressa decided to pursue her career as an actress, she would definitely give ‘La Aunor and our other great actresses a run for their money during the FAMAS Awards night.

And for the other millions and thousands of people, especially in the ranks of the Philippine media who know her and her brand of journalism, watching her performance give them the lesson that to be eloquent in spreading lies and half-truths, suppressing material facts and to be consistently biased in your reporting can make you go places, including having the King of Norway as your audience.

For one, we take Ressa to task for not including Julian Assange, an icon of global independent journalism, in the list of journalists who have been harassed, attacked and killed the world over in the past several years. Was it because Assange is considered an “enemy” of Western governments, particularly US Imperialism after exposing their war crimes in the Middle East?

We also take Ressa to task for citing as a credible source on human rights abuses in the Philippines, the CPP-front organization, ‘Karapatan.’ Is that part of her journalism standards? Giving credibility to the propaganda of terrorist front organizations in order to further malign our country and project herself and Karapatan as “victims?”

We take Ressa to task for twisting the narrative on the cases she and Rappler are now facing. Was it not because she violated—with impunity—the Philippine Constitution and also our securities and revenue laws? How can these self-inflicted cases be considered an “attack” on journalism and the independent press?

We take Ressa to task for blaming the authorities over her conviction last year for cyber libel but not admitting that the case was filed by a private individual who was forced to sue after she and Rappler arrogantly ignored his plea for fair treatment for over a year?

And why did she not also reveal that that hatchet job was a part of a bigger conspiracy by the Aquino administration to remove a sitting Chief Justice for the Aquino’s private gain (retention of Hacienda Luisita) and where Rappler and Ressa are the leading “attack dogs.”

Of course, we can rant and rage and feel revolted and insulted over Ressa’s Nobel award but there is really nothing we can do about it. “Uncle Sam” wills it, and it is so.

But we are not blind to the fact that the award is just a small part of the ‘Bigger Picture’ that the West and US Imperialism has set into motion against the Philippines, for having an administration that has no intention of bowing to their will.

And should another administration come in next year unmalleable as Pres. Duterte, the imperialists already have a bemedaled foot soldier and stooge on the ground.

Finally, we take Ressa to task: How dare you call yourself a journalist when you are nothing but the running dog of imperialist and elite interests?

Don’t us, hane? Sa Tagalog, Huwag kami, Maria Ressa!