“Never do today what you can do tomorrow. Something may occur to make you regret your premature action.” –Aaron Burr
As a Filipino journalist, I am worried about the potential tax evasion charges being prepared as a means of intimidating Maria Ressa and other critics of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Colleagues around the world have praised the founder and editor of investigative news website Rappler and the said threat has prompted an outpouring of support on social media.
Philippine prosecutors revealed they “have grounds to indict Ressa and Rappler for failing to pay taxes on 2015 bond sales.” Under the law, the penalty could mean a fine and 10 years in jail.
Ressa is a vocal critic of Duterte and rejected, what she deems, “ridiculous charges,” calling them a thinly-veiled attempt to silence critical coverage by using methods to “intimidate and harass” journalists.
Enemies of the press may take advantage of the government’s aggressive reactions to critical reporters.
I have also written critically of the government’s policies, particularly extrajudicial killings, which has killed thousands of suspected drug addicts and traffickers who had yet to have their day in court.
The media landscape in the Philippines, which ranked 133rd on the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, has come under extreme pressure since Duterte rose to power in 2016.
Rappler has cast a spotlight on Duterte’s brutal war on illegal drugs and street crimes, resulting in a barrage of online trolls and a series of government-backed lawsuits aimed at shutting down the site.
Let’s hope that harassment and intimidation against crusading journalists will not end up in assassinations just like what happened to hundreds of our colleagues since democracy was restored in the 1986 EDSA People Power. God forbid.
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Despite the Senate Committee on Legislative Franchise approving in principle the franchise for More Electric and Power Corporation (More Power), it is still too early for opponents of the Panay Electric Company (PECO) to celebrate – PECO isn’t dead yet.
The power company is currently fighting for its life in the emergency room, surrounding by the best doctors still trying to prolong its life; or, at least, save it from permanent disability.
PECO is still hoping for a favorable ruling from the House of Representatives, where its application for renewal of its franchise is still pending.
The franchise expires on January 19, 2019.
With the myriad of options to protect PECO and its interests, it may be why the company chose not to participate in the technical working group meeting, where the transitional process between PECO and More Power would be handled – PECO will not sell its assets to a competitor.
It remains to be seen if More Power can efficiently serve thousands of consumers without sufficient, time-tested technical resources and manpower; but the ongoing impasse is expected to prolong PECO’s tenure, especially with the power company expressing its willingness to take their case to the Supreme Court.
Ilonggo power consumers will be spared from inconvenience and stray bullets if Congress expedites its verdict on PECO’s application and if the court will act immediately once the matter is up for litigation./WDJ