Maria Ressa, Nobel laureate, cleared of charges in Philippiines tax evasion case

Nobel Prize winner and co-founder of online news website Rappler, Maria Ressa, was acquitted of a tax evasion charge in the Philippines, adding to her legal victories against the former government.

 A fierce Duerte critic, Maria Ressa has been battling against multiple charges filed during former president Rodrigo Duerte’s government. She was observed smiling as the judge delivered the verdict.

Ressa has long maintained that the charges against her and her new website, Rappler, were politically motivated.

Talking to reporters outside the court, the 59-year-old Nobel Laureate said you need to have faith.

Rappler and Ressa had faced five government charges of tax evasion originating from the 2015 sale of Philippine depository receipts, which is a way for enterprises to raise capital from foreign investors.

Having already been acquitted on four of the five charges by a court in January, the fifth charge was heard by a different court, which acquitted her and Rappler of wrongdoing.

Rappler and Ressa face two more court cases.

Ressa and Rey Santos Jr., a former colleague, are appealing a cyber-libel conviction. The conviction carries a jail sentence that is nearly seven years long.

Rappler is contesting a closure order issued by the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission because it allegedly violated a restriction on foreign ownership of media. The Philippine Constitution prohibits foreigners or businesses controlled by foreigners from investing in the media.

The case concerns an investment made by the American Omidyar Network, which was subsequently transferred to Rappler's local managers to fend off Duterte's attempts to shut down the website.