Veteran director on Maria Ressa: 'You're quick to howl of 'gov't harassment' but you enjoyed to the hilt the freedom of expression'

by Sidney Cruz on December 04, 2018

Direk Manny Castañeda and Maria Ressa / Compiled photo Summit Express and Rappler

Manila, Philippines - Rappler Holdings CEO Maria Ressa reiterated on Monday that the P133-million tax evasion suit filed against the popular online news outfit was just a political harassment.

“This is another instance where you have a case of political harassment because we’re journalists trying to do our jobs,” she told the reporters.

False, ludicrous, ridiculous

This statement from Ressa came after filing a joint counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in response to the tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against Rappler Holdings Corporation (RHC) and its executives.

“This claim, this charge, is absolutely false. I’ve called it ludicrous. I’ve called it ridiculous. I’ve said that it shows ill intent of intimidation and harassment or just plain incompetence,” Ressa said.

“I appeal to their sense of upholding the Constitution and letting journalists do their jobs,” Rappler’s CEO added

Follow the process

Meanwhile, veteran actor and director Manny Castaneda took to Facebook to share his sentiments and disappointment to Rappler’s CEO.

Castañeda said that Ressa and her supporters are quick to call it “government harassment” whenever the law does not favor them.

”Whereas, she enjoyed and applied to the hilt the freedom of expression provided in a democratic society when she relentlessly harassed government with her malicious tirades via Rappler and to this day continues to enjoy such freedom from a government she claims to be authoritarian.” the director added

Castañeda pointed out that all Ressa has to do is follow the process and prove her innocence. *

Manny Castañeda’s full post reads:

Whenever the law does not go their way, Maria Ressa, together with her supporters, are quick to howl cliché catchphrase like “Democracy is dead in the Philippines!” or “This is government harassment”! 

Whereas, she enjoyed and applied to the hilt the freedom of expression provided in a democratic society when she relentlessly harrassed government with her malicious tirades via Rappler and to this day continues to enjoy such freedom from a government she claims to be authoritarian.

Now, she is being accused of tax evasion and BIR purportedly has all the evidence to support the case. All she has to do is to follow the democratic process to prove her innocence.

But her actual crime is far deeper than a simple case of tax evasion. It has become common knowledge that the money she received from a foreign donor is allegedly meant to be used to discredit and consequently destabilize or even overthrow the government. Now, that is a much bigger crime she would probably have to face sooner or later. Sympathy card will not work here. There should be no sympathy to a person who would unabashedly sell the country to a foreign organization. 

And let us not forget, Maria Ressa is also an American citizen. Her actions reveal where her loyalty truly lies.

Source: Abogado, Manny Castañeda

http://www.thedailysentry.net/2018/12/veteran-director-on-maria-ressa-youre.html