An award-winning journalist critical of the Philippine president was convicted of libel and sentenced to jail Monday in a decision called a major blow to press freedom in an Asian bastion of democracy. The Manila court found Maria Ressa, her online news site Rappler Inc. and former reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr. guilty of libelling a wealthy businessman. The site's lawyers disputed any malice and said the time limit for filing the libel complaint had passed. Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa, centre, is escorted as she arrives at Manila Regional Trial Court in Manila on Monday. Rappler's lawyers said Philippine penal laws cannot be retroactively applied.

Source: CBC News June 15, 2020 02:49 UTC