Blow to press freedoms in the Philippines

One of the Philippines’ most prominent journalists is facing up to six years in prison after she was found guilty of “cyberlibel” charges on 15 June this year, a verdict condemned as setting “an extraordinarily damaging precedent” for press freedoms in the Philippines. Her name is Maria Ressa, and the offending article was about corruption of a Philippines Supreme Court Judge.Since the election of President Duterte in the Philippines in 2016, there has been a significant deterioration in civil liberties and workers’ rights. This verdict comes at a time of civil crackdown, concealed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the context of the murderous war on drugs. Today’s Accent of Women features Maria Ressa herself, the journalist facing 6 years of prison following a guilty verdict. She is the CEO and executive editor, and in which that offending article was published.