Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion
Philippine Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa was acquitted of tax evasion, among a slew of charges she has long maintained are politically motivated, calling the verdict a victory for "truth".
Ressa, who shared the Nobel with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in 2021, still faces three other cases, including a cyber libel conviction now under appeal that could mean nearly seven years in prison.
"Today, facts win. Truth wins," a teary-eyed and defiant Ressa told reporters outside the Manila courtroom after the court ruled on four government charges that she and her online media company Rappler had dodged taxes in a 2015 bond sale to foreign investors.
The tax court said prosecutors failed to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corp. had evaded paying income taxes owed.
"These charges were politically motivated," Ressa said. "We were able to prove that Rappler is not a tax evader."
The 59-year-old has been battling a series of cases that media advocates say were filed due to her vocal criticism of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Ressa and Muratov were awarded the 2021 Nobel for their efforts to "safeguard freedom of expression".
Asked what the tax court ruling meant, Ressa said: "Hope. That's what it provides."
In a statement, Rappler said: "An adverse decision would have had far-reaching repercussions on both the press and the capital markets ... With you we will continue to #HoldTheLine" -- a slogan used to symbolise their fight for press freedom.
