Maria Ressa, Filipino Nobel laureate, exonerated of tax evasion

 Maria Ressa, a Filipino Nobel Prize recipient who has long argued that the charges against her are politically motivated, was cleared of tax evasion on Wednesday. She called the decision a victory for "truth."

Ressa, who shared the Nobel Prize in 2021 with the Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, is still dealing with three more cases, including a conviction for cyber libel that is currently being appealed and might result in a sentence of almost seven years.

"Facts prevail nowadays. Truth prevails "After the court ruled on four government allegations that she and her online media company Rappler had evaded taxes in a 2015 bond sale to foreign investors, a tearful and indignant Ressa told reporters outside the Manila courtroom.

The tax court ruled that the prosecution had not established Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corp.'s tax evasion "beyond a reasonable doubt."

Ressa claimed on Wednesday that the accusations were driven by politics. We were successful in showing that Rappler is not a tax evader.

The 59-year-old has been fighting a number of cases that, according to media activists, were brought against her because of her outspoken criticism of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody drug campaign.

Ressa and Muratov received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021 for their work to "safeguard freedom of expression."

Ressa responded when asked what the tax court decision meant: "Hope. It offers that as a service."

Rappler stated in a news release: "A bad judgment would have had significant effects on the capital markets and the press. We will continue to #HoldTheLine with you "— a catchphrase they coined to represent their battle for journalistic freedom.

The future of Rappler, which Ressa started in 2012, is still up in the air despite the judgment.

It continues to contest a closure order issued by the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission that was issued due to an alleged violation of the constitution's ban on foreign ownership of media.

The news organization, which is still operating, is accused of allowing foreigners to take over its website by issuing "depositary receipts" through its parent business Rappler Holdings.

According to the constitution, only Filipinos or businesses under Filipino control may invest in the media.