MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A prominent Philippine journalist who along with the online news service she heads has been sued for tax evasion has declared her innocence and been freed on bail after reporting herself for arrest.
Maria Ressa, CEO of the Rappler website, said Monday that taxes had been paid properly by her news service and the five charges were politically motivated.
Rappler has been critical of the government of President Rodrigo Duterte, who in turn has accused several independent media groups in the Philippines of biased reporting, including on his crackdown on illegal drugs that has left thousands of mostly urban poor dwellers dead and drawn condemnation by Western governments and U.N. bodies.
Ressa was freed on 60,000 pesos ($1,150) bail on the one charge for which an arrest warrant was issued.
