A Manila court has dismissed a cyber libel case filed by a professor against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and journalist Rambo Talabong over an article about an alleged corruption in a university.
Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 24 issued an order in open session last Tuesday (August 10) dismissing the case "with prejudice" after Ariel Pineda, the complainant, submitted an affidavit of desistance.
"Mr. Pineda stated that the filing of the case arose out of a misappreciation of facts and that he was no longer interested in pursuing the case against both Mr. Talabong and Ms. Ressa," said lawyer Ted Te, counsel of both Ressa and Talabong.
"The dismissal is, of course, a welcome development. That the case was even filed against both Mr. Talabong and Ms. Ressa at the level of the investigating prosecutor however spotlights the danger to press freedom and freedom of expression that criminal cyberlibel poses," he added.
The cyber libel case was filed against Ressa and Talabong after the latter wrote an article about an official of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB) who allegedly took bribes from students.
The dismissal of the case was a "temporary relief," according to Ressa.
"Another criminal case against me and our reporter has been dropped. It's a temporary relief, but the ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation against me and Rappler continues," Ressa said.
Talabong also said in a statement that he was relieved after the case was dismissed.
"I can finally focus more of my time working to produce more stories at this critical time in our country," he said.
He also added that libel should be "decriminalized" as it drains too much resources and time from journalists.
Last May, another libel case against Ressa involving businessman Wilfredo Keng was also dropped.