The Hold the Line Coalition (HTL) welcomes Tuesday’s Regional Trial Court verdict acquitting #Nobel laureate #Maria #Ressa and her news outlet #Rappler on the final criminal tax charge leveled against them by the regime of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The judgment comes after a legal battle lasting nearly five years. If they had lost the case, Ressa could have been jailed for up to 10 years, while Rappler would have faced a fine.

“This verdict underlines that it is possible for #Phillipine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to chart a different course to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who waged a relentless campaign of media repression,”

https://ifex.org/hold-the-line-coalition-welcomes-acquittal-of-maria-ressa-and-rappler-calls-for-dropping-of-remaining-cases/