ANOTHER NAIL ON RAPPLER’S ‘COFFIN’!

Here’s another nail on Rappler’s coffin:

A story in https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1094279/ca-denies-rappler-appeal-in-sec-case?utm_expid=.XqNwTug2W6nwDVUSgFJXed.1 says the  Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld its 2018 decision that Rappler is not 100 percent owned by Filipinos. And before Rappler boss Maria Ressa and her allies start screaming suppression of press freedom again, here are the vital grounds of the CA ruling:

Rappler is a mass media entity contrary to its claim that its online nature was not among the “mass media” under the law. An online article published by Rappler itself described it as an “‘all-digital news organization’ and ‘online news site’ that merges traditional television broadcasting with the internet and combines the discipline and credibility of traditional print and TV journalists’ so that it can ‘join broadcasting network giants’.”

The CA said the SEC did not violate anything when it evaluated and revoked Rappler’s articles of incorporation for violating the ownership restrictions. While there was no full compliance with procedures under the 2016 SEC Rules, there was a substantial compliance with the requirements of procedural due process.

The CA added: “Applying the Full Beneficial Ownership Test, Rappler Holdings Corp. cannot claim that it fully owns the Rappler shares since it does not exclusively exercise the right to vote on the Rappler shares. Omidyar Network is granted the power to direct the voting on the Rappler shares.”

MALINAW pa sa sikat ng araw…HINDI PRESS FREEDOM o freedom of expression ang issue. Kaya iyong mga iiyak na naman ng suppression of press freedom ang desisyon ng CA, kung hindi MANLOLOKO, BOBO na dapat na ring malibing kasama ng Rappler.30