Maria Ressa ‘abswelto’ sa 4 na tax evasion cases — korte

INABSWELTO ng First Division ng Court of Tax Appeals si Rappler CEO Maria Ressa at Rappler Holdings Corp. sa apat na kaso ng tax violations na inihain pa noong 2018.

Miyerkules nang ibaba ng CA ang hatol sa Nobel Laureate at RHC tungkol sa mga kasong nakabinbin pa simula noong nakaraang administrasyon ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

“First of all, maraming salamat. Thank you for being here. And I have to say… Siguro naman po, sa mga trolls ng Rappler at doon sa mga naniniwala sa kasinungalingan tungkol sa Rappler, napatunayan na po namin na hindi tax evader ang Rappler,” wika ni Ressa kanina habang hinaharap ang media.

“‘Yun nga lang po, it took four years and two months. We came to court, we believed in the court despite everything that was happening.”

Inakusahan si Ressa at ang Rappler Holdings Corp. ng diumano’y “perceived willful attempt to evade tax.” Pinaratangan din ang respondents na sadyang hindi magbigay ng tamang impormasyon tungkol sa annual income tax returns ng kumpanya noong 2015.

Inakusahan din noon ng BIR ang Rappler na maghain ng income tax at value added tax sa nakuha nitong Philippine Depositary Receipts.

“And I don’t know if you remember, but about six months before these four charges were filed against us, we received a top corporate tax payer award from the Philippines,” dagdag pa ni Ressa, isang beteranang peryodista.

“Today, facts win. Truth wins. Justice wins. Medyo emotional nga lang po.”

Hunyo 2022 lang nang sabihin ng Securities and Exchange Commission na desidido silang ipatupad ang 2018 decision nitong ipasa ang media company na Rappler Inc.

Ayon sa abogado ng Rappler na si Francis Lim, inaasahan nilang mapatutunayang walang sala ang mga nabanggit lalo na’t kinakailangan “proof beyond reasonable doubt” sa isang criminal case.

“We knew that acquittal would come. I especially thank the court for showing the independence of the judiciary,” ani Lim.

“We do need investments in the country to help the country emerge from the pandemic. A contrary decision today would have negative implications not only on the freedom of the press but on the economy.”

“With due respect to the prosecution, their theory of the case fails to distinguish between investment and stock and trade.

Eh pati sa tax case, malaki ang implications nito sa tax payers natin.”

Umaasa naman ang kanilang kampo na magtatagumpay sila kung sakaling iakyat ito sa Korte Suprema at sana’y magabayan daw ng Court of Tax Appeals ang regional trial court. Sa ngayon, hindi pa nababasa ng kampo ng Rappler ang buong desisyon.

May isa pang tax-related na kasong nakabinbin sa Pasig Regional Trial Court si Ressa at ang Rappler.

Naniniwala ang kampo nina Ressa at ang ilang progresibong grupo na pulitika ang nasa likod ng pagdidiin sa parent company ng online news site na Rappler, na kilala para sa kanilang kritikal na pagbabalita lalo na noong panahon ni Duterte.

“These charges, as you know, were politically motivated. They were incredible to us. A brazen abuse of power and meant to stop journalists from doing their jobs,” dagdag pa ni Ressa.

“I had a really good feeling today, not only because there wasn’t one shred of evidence to support these charges, not one! Kasi hindi naman po talaga dealer in securities ang Rappler, we are a news organization.”

Matatandaang panahon ni Duterte noong hindi ma-renew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN, bagay na nangyari matapos niyang manggalaiti dahil sa hindi raw pag-ere ng ilan sa kanyang political ads noong 2016 elections.

Taong 2017 din nang banatan ni Digong ang Philippine Daily Inquirer at ABS-CBN dahil sa kanilang “hindi patas” na pagbabalita. Idinidiin si Duterte ng sari-saring grupo at international institutions para sa “crimes against humanity” at human rights violations kaugnay ng kanyang madugong war on drugs.

“The acquittal of Maria Ressa on tax charges is a victory for press freedom albeit the struggle still continues against fake news, red tagging and repression,” wika naman ni Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares.

“May this embolden our journalists to hold the line in their fight for truth and in fulfilling their role as the people’s advocates for transparency and accountability.”

Sa kabila nito, hinamon nila ang lahat na ‘wag magpakampante lalo na’t desidido raw ang mga “pasista” gaya nina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na ipilit ang kanilang mga pananaw sa taumbayan.  (Daris Jose)