By Benjamin Pulta/PNA
MANILA — A Manila court has issued a warrant of arrest against online news outfit Rappler Inc. publisher Maria Angelita Ressa for cyber libel.
“This is simply procedural. Ms. Ressa may post bail anytime, even before the warrant is served,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told newsmen on Wednesday.
Ressa and Rappler writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. were named in the arrest warrant dated Feb. 12 ,2019 issued by Manila regional trial court Branch 46 Presiding Judge Rainelda H. Estacio-Montessa for violation of Sec. 4 (C)(4) of Rep. Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
The law signed by then President Benigno Aquino III in 2012 outlines a number of offenses.
Ressa and Santos are being charged under the provision on content-related offenses which includes libel committed through a computer system or similar means.
