by Benjamin Pulta/PNA
The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday reset the arraignment of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on cyber libel charges, from April 12 to April 16.
In an order issued Thursday, Manila RTC Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa also granted Ressa’s lawyers request for permission to travel abroad upon the posting of a travel bond.
The court also granted Ressa’s motion to travel to Singapore and San Francisco, USA from March 15 to 29; to New York from April 2 to 14 and from April 21 to 28.
Ressa was initially ordered to post a PHP500,000 bond but the defense counsels requested to reduce the sum to PHP300,000 or PHP100,000 for each of trip, to which the court agreed.
Ressa is facing criminal cyber libel charges filed against her for the publication of a story on businessman Wilfredo Keng whom Rappler, in its story, tagged as involved in criminal activities and had lent a vehicle to then Chief Justice Renato Corona.
