Court defers Ressa arraignment on cyber libel case

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court postponed yesterday the arraignment of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa in connection with the cyber libel case filed against her by businessman Wilfredo Keng.

Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 deferred the arraignment after Ressa’s camp appealed the ruling denying her motion to quash the charges.

The arraignment was reset on May 17.

The cyber libel complaint against Ressa stemmed from a Rappler article linking Keng to human trafficking and drug smuggling.            

Meanwhile, government prosecutors expressed confidence that they have a strong case against Ressa over the anti-dummy complaint filed against her before the Pasig RTC Branch 265 stemming from the foreign ownership in Rappler and its holding firm.

Sources in the judiciary cited the track record of Pasig RTC Judge Acerey Pacheco, who issued a warrant for Ressa’s arrest at the airport last month.

Court records showed that Pacheco convicted 420 out of 500 respondents from 2015 to 2018.

The judge presides  over the Marikina RTC Branch 165.

Pacheco was designated as acting presiding judge of the Pasig RTC to handle the anti-dummy complaint against Ressa due to the lack of judges in Pasig courts.

The court set Ressa’s arraignment on the anti-dummy case on May 2.