By Neil Jerome Morales

MANILA (Reuters). Despite being hailed as a rebuke to official attacks on media outlets, the Nobel Peace Prize for Maria Ressa, a Philippine journalist, was not commented on by President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte is a regular critic of Ressa’s website.

Ressa https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nobel-prize-shines-light-dark-time-philippines-ressa-2021-10-08, who is free on bail as she appeals a six-year prison sentence last year for a libel conviction and has faced a slew of other court cases, shared the prize https://www.reuters.com/world/philippines-journalist-ressa-russian-journalist-muratov-win-2021-nobel-peace-2021-10-08 with Russian investigative journalist Dmitry Muratov https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-editor-muratov-dedicates-nobel-prize-staff-murdered-their-work-2021-10-08.

Duterte has described Rappler news site that Ressa co-founded as a “fake news https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-media-idUSKBN1F50HL outlet” and a tool of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

In 2012 Rappler was launched. It has challenged Duterte’s statements and policies. Its investigations have included a spate of killings by law enforcement during a war on drugs https://www.reuters.com/investigates/section/philippines-drugs Duterte launched when he took office in June 2016.

A rights group claims that authorities have executed thousands of drug-related suspects. According to police, those executed in violence resist arrests during sting operations.

Media experts and lawmakers said the award demonstrates the value of freedom speech ahead of the next year’s elections for Duterte’s successor.

Carlos Isagani Zarate is an opposition lawmaker who said that the government was in an uncomfortable position.

Zarate said that the silence emanating from the palace spoke volumes about how Maria Ressa was treated in the past, and the shock at this recognition. This is my personal rebuke to Duterte, who insulted critics and women especially.

Ressa was the first Filipino individual to win the Nobel Prize. 13 Filipinos participated in the 2017 and 2013 winners of the prize.

DILEMMA IN PALACE

Danilo Arawo, a journalist professor at the University of the Philippines told Reuters that the problem for the palace is how to congratulate someone suffering persecution from the government.

Duterte’s government has denied that it persecutes critics of the media.

The president’s palace, Duterte’s spokesperson and chief legal counsel did not reply to Reuters’ requests for comment about Ressa’s award, or the reactions of critics.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guievarra, while he was happy for Ressa’s victory, said that the libel laws would still be enforced.

“As an ordinary Filipino, I am happy that a fellow Filipino has been included in this year’s roster of Nobel Peace laureates,” Guevarra said in a statement.

While freedom of expression in the Philippines is guaranteed by law, he said that there are limits to it such as libel or defamation.

Guevarra stated that the legal principles and facts in each case will guide the prosecutorial discretion, regardless of who is involved.

In 2018, Duterte banned Rappler https://www.reuters.com/article/philippines-media-idINKCN1G41TW from covering his official events, prompting the news site to cover event speeches and activities via live television and social media.

Numerous well-wishers stated that the Nobel highlighted the value of truth, democracy and media before Duterte’s six-year-old term ended in June.

Ressa’s award highlights the need to protect freedom of the press, the Management Association of the Philippines (one of the premier business associations in the country) stated in a statement.