MANILA, Philippines — An unidentified officer on Wednesday evening prohibited a reporter of online news outfit Rappler from recording the service of arrest warrant against their CEO and executive Editor Maria Ressa.
The NBI agents from the cybercrime division arrested Ressa on Wednesday evening at her office in Pasig City after securing an arrest warrant from Manila City Regional Trial Court Branch 46 over a cyber libel case recently filed by the Department of Justice.
Reporters present said they were just doing a Facebook live of the service of the warrant at their headquarters when they were stopped by the unidentified officer.
They said the officer, who was part of the serving party, introduced himself as part of the NBI.
The officer also asked the reporter to relay his order to her colleagues and warned that they will “go after” them if they do not stop recording.
The arrest of Ressa earned criticisms from both local and international media groups. They said “it undermines press freedom and freedom of expression.”
Watch the service of warrant against Ressa at Rappler office here:
— Rosette Adel