By The SUN
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| Maria Ressa is honored for her work in safeguarding free speech in the Philippines |
Maria Ressa, co-founder
and chief executive officer of Rappler, the Philippines’ leading digital media
company, is one of two journalists who have just been awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for 2021. She is the first Filipino to receive the prestigious award.
The other winner is Dmitry
Muratov, co-founder and later, editor-in-chief of Novaja Gazeta, widely
regarded as the most independent newspaper in Russia today.
In announcing the joint
award today, Oct 8, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said Ressa and Muratov were
being honored “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a
precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”
The two are said to
represent all journalists who stand up for the ideal of free speech “in a world
in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse
conditions.”
In particular, Ressa was
cited for her use of “freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of
violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines.”
When first told of the
award by the Nobel committee via a recorded phone call, the usually loquacious
Ressa could only stay, “I am speechless. Thank you so very much.”
Later, during an interview
with Rappler, Ressa was asked why she thought the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded
to journalists at the time of the pandemic, instead of the usual scientists who
come up with ground-breaking work to help mankind.
“I guess what this just
shows is that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee realized that a world without
facts means a world without truth and trust. And if you don’t have any of these
things you certainly cannot conquer the coronavirus, you cannot conquer climate
change.”
Separately, Rappler’s
editor-in-chief Glenda Gloria said: “Thank you so much. This is Maria's and Rappler's
as much as it is yours!”
Rappler is honored – and astounded – by the Nobel Peace
Prize Award given to our CEO Maria Ressa. It could not have come at a better
time – a time when journalists and the truth are being attacked and undermined.”
“We thank the Nobel for
recognizing all journalists both in the Philippines and in the world who
continue to shine the light even in the darkest and toughest hours. hank you to
everyone who has been part of the daily struggle to uphold the truth and who
continues to hold the line with us.”
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| Ressa speaks at a rally in the Philippines shortly after she was ordered arrested |
For years, Ressa was under
intense fire from powerful forces because of Rappler’s exposes on the thousands
of killings committed in the Philippines
under President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
“The number of deaths is
so high that the campaign resembles a war waged against the country’s own
population,” said the Nobel committee in recognizing Ressa’s work.
With Ressa at the helm,
Rappler also documented how social media has been used by pro-government forces
in spreading fake news, harassing opponents, and manipulating public opinion.
As a result, the veteran
Filipina journalist has been sued eight times, got arrested and convicted of
cyber libel, and was ordered to post millions of pesos in bail and travel
bonds. On top of these, she was slapped with trumped-up charges ranging from
securities fraud to tax evasion, which threatened to get Rappler off
cyberspace.
Not content with these,
Duterte supporters subjected Ressa to the vilest insults, even death threats, on
social media. But she never wavered. Instead, she told journalists to “hold the
line,” meaning, they should not be cowed by the repressions and attempts to
hide the truth to favor those in power.
Before founding Rappler,
Ressa worked as bureau chief for CNN International and news chief of ABS-CBN,
the Philippines’ broadcast media giant which was forced to close down in May
last year after its franchise was cancelled by pro-government legislators.
Ressa, who is 58, graduated cum
laude with a B.A. degree in English and certificates in theater and
dance from the prestigious Princeton University in the United
States in 1986.[ She
then studied political theater at the University of the Philippines in Diliman as a
Fullbright scholar.
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| Muratov is cited for keeping his newspaper's independent stance amid threats and violence |
Muratov, on the other
hand, was cited for his decades of work in defending “freedom of speech in Russia under
increasingly challenging conditions.”
Since its founding in
1993, his newspaper Novaja Gazeta is said to have published stories critical of
the powers-that-be, including those that dealt with corruption, police
violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraud and the use of Russian military
forces both within and outside the country.
Its fiercely independent
stance has resulted in six of its journalists getting killed, but with Muratov
at the helm since 1995, the newspaper has refused to yield to pressure.
Muratov is said to have
consistently defended the right of journalists to write freely, as long as they
comply with professional and ethical standards.
“Free, independent and
fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war
propaganda,” said a press release announcing the award to the two journalists.
“The Norwegian Nobel
Committee is convinced that freedom of expression and freedom of information
help to ensure an informed public. These rights are crucial prerequisites for
democracy and protect against war and conflict.”
“The award of the Nobel
Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov is intended to underscore the
importance of protecting and defending these fundamental rights.
“Without freedom of
expression and freedom of the press, it will be difficult to successfully
promote fraternity between nations, disarmament and a better world order to
succeed in our time.”
