House official to Duterte: Allow Ressa to receive Nobel Peace Prize
House Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Friday, Nov. 26, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to allow journalist Maria Ressa to fly to Oslo, Norway to receive her Nobel Peace Prize.
“I am appealing to President Duterte to reverse the stand of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) opposing Ms. Ressa’s request to personally receive the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10,” the Mindanao lawmaker said.
The OSG has already filed its opposition with the Court of Appeals (CA), which is handling the journalist’s appeal of her conviction on a cyber libel case before a lower court. The OSG has tagged Ressa as a 'flight risk'.
The CA had earlier permitted the Rappler CEO to travel to the United States to fulfill some commitments and visit her parents in Florida. She is a dual citizen being a Filipino-American.
“If the appellate court has allowed her to go to the US, then it should permit her to fly to Oslo to personally receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the first Filipino to be honored with such a highly prestigious award,” Rodriguez explained.
The Deputy Speaker said the suggestion of the OSG to just participate in the Oslo ceremonies through the internet “is ridiculous.” “How can an honoree receive such a much-coveted award and savor the honor and prestige virtually thousands of miles away from the ceremonies? She has to be there to enjoy the moment,” Rodriguez stressed.
The CDO 2nd District congressman also pointed out that Ressa’s absence in Oslo would just further strengthen allegations that the Duterte administration is still persecuting her.
Rodriguez suggested that Ressa should comply with the CA's conditions for her US trip by returning to the country after her allowed travel period ends next week and immediately reporting to the court upon her arrival.
“That will prove the OSG wrong. That will show that she is not a flight risk and does not intend to evade her case,” the Mindanao solon said.
Ressa has already asked the court to allow her to go to Oslo from December 8 to 13 and the CA gave its nod for her to travel to the US from October 31 to December 2. (Melvin Sarangay)