Nobel winner Maria Ressa, news outlet Rappler cleared of tax evasion

Source: Associated Press

Nobel winner Maria Ressa, news outlet cleared of tax evasion

January 18, 2023

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa and her online news company were cleared Wednesday of tax evasion charges she said were among a slew of legal cases used by former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to try to muzzle critical reporting.

The Court of Tax Appeals ruled that prosecutors failed to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corp. evaded tax payments in four instances after raising capital through partnerships with two foreign investors. “The acquittal of the accused is based on the findings of the court...that respondents did not commit the crime charge,” the court said in its decision.

Rappler welcomed the court decision as “the triumph of facts over politics.”

“We thank the court for this just decision and for recognizing that the fraudulent, false, and flimsy charges made by the Bureau of Internal Revenue do not have any basis in fact,” Rappler said in a statement. “An adverse decision would have had far-reaching repercussions on both the press and the capital markets.”

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/drug-crimes-rodrigo-duterte-maria-ressa-manila-philippines-ff0aac7c00ce11f0e0c3b8e052302534