Progressive solons denounce SEC revocation of Rappler’s certificate of incorporation

Progressive lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Monday denounced the revocation of news website Rappler's certification of incorporation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a statement, ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio slammed the decision, saying that it the "most vicious" attack on the Philippine press freedom spearheaded by President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

"Duterte is the biggest threat to press freedom since Marcos. His gameplan is clear: to silence critical media, neuter recalcitrant constitutional bodies, tame the judiciary, terrorize the urban and rural poor through police and military violence, and crack down on dissent in order to perpetuate himself and his ruling clique in power," he said.

Fellow ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro shared Tinio's statement, saying that rescinding Rappler's registration is an "outright slap" on press freedom and the right of the people to information.

The SEC revoked Rappler's certificate of incorporation for supposedly violating the foreign ownership restrictions on mass media companies.

Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago said this revocation only shows that the current administration is "hellbent on eliminating all dissenters."

"We all know how Rappler has been threatened by the Duterte administration ever since they have been releasing news reports criticizing his war on drugs. What is worse is this can possibly only be [the] start of Duterte’s ‘purge’ of media institutions that criticize his tyrannical regime," she said.

"We strongly denounce this blatant attack on press freedom and the madman president’s attempt to generate a ‘chilling effect’ on all who contradict his policies and programs," she added. — BM, GMA News