MALACAÑANG on Saturday, March 30, said Rappler chief could not claim that press freedom is being attacked since due process was observed and she was released from police custody the moment she posted bail.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo noted that Ressa, whose online news site is critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, was granted temporary liberty after posting bail of P90,000 over charges of violating the Anti-Dummy Law,
"The very fact that she posted and granted bail for her temporary liberty demonstrates that the constitutional presumption of innocence has been observed," the Palace official said.
"Her continued and unimpeded attack on the Duterte Administration as allegedly being behind her prosecution makes her a walking testament of the robust exercise of the freedom of the press and of expression in the land," he added.
Ressa was apprehended anew on Friday, March 29, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, a day after the a Pasig court issued a warrant for her arrest for alleged violation of Anti-Dummy Law.
She was released the same day ater she posted bail of P90,000.
The Pasig City Regional Trial Court Brancg 265 issued an arrest warrat on Ressa over the complaint for violation of the Anti-Dummy Law for allegedly allowing a foreign company to intervene in the management and operation of Rappler.
The court found probable cause to indict Ressa for allegedly violating the constitutional requirement for mass media to be 100-percent Filipino owned.
Rappler's certificate of incorporation was revoked in January 2018 after it allegedly allowed foreign-owned Omidyar Network to hld Philippine Depository Receipts.
Under the country's Anti-Dummy Law, foreign entities are prohibited from intervening in the management, operation, administration, or control of any any nationalized activity.
In a chance interview after posting bail, Ressa said her arrest was an aparrent move of the Duterte government to intimidate the media.
"Sad day for me. Apparently, the Philippine government isn't satisfied with arresting me," the Rappler chief said. "This shows you how hard it is to be a journalist today."
Panelo, however, maintained that the executive branch has no role in Ressa's arrest.
He said the rule of law was "followed," as the Pasig court determined the existence of a probable cause following the process outlined by the 1987 Constitution.
"The Executive respects the independence of the judiciary, including how it handles cases pending before its courts," Panelo said.
"Once again Maria Ressa is peddling her repudiated accusation that the Administration is behind her criminal prosecution and arrest. She repeats her lie that her right has been violated when in truth and in fact due process has been observed," he added.
Panelo also stressed that Ressa cannot be using her arrest as a violation of the freedom of the press and make it as an excuse to attack the government.
He said she cannot "forever hide behind the freedom of the press," every time she commits "what probably is a transgression of law as determined by the investigating prosecutor and the judge handling her case."
He then told the Rappler chief to just "focus on her defense and be truthful on her present situation," instead of fomenting disrespect to the constituted authorities and using her journalistic talent to "spread her twisted and pretentious advocacy."
"She wants a special treatment owing to her being a journalist. She wants her profession to shield her from accountability of a wrongdoing that she could be guilty of," he said.
"All is equal before the law. It is no respecter of any social and political status. The law does not discriminate. Everyone subject of an arrest warrant must be given equal treatment as to its service," he added.
In February, Ressa was arrested and spent a night in jail on charges of cyber libel involving a story published on its news online platform in May 2012. She was freed on bail. (Ruth Abbey Gita/SunStar Philippines)