/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Monday said that it will not interfere with the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) to deny online news site Rappler’s petition to reverse the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) order to revoke its business registration.
“As we said, any case that has been filed before the courts, we will not interfere; we will let the law takes its course,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.
It may be recalled that the SEC revoked Rappler’s certification of incorporation January last year for violating constitutional restriction on foreign ownership of mass media.
In a 25-page resolution dated February 21, 2019 and released to media Monday, the CA saw no merit on the motion for partial reconsideration filed by Rappler on the case.
“In summary, a motion for reconsideration grounded on arguments already submitted to the court and found to be without merit may be denied summarily, as it would be a useless ritual for this court to reiterate itself. Here, petitioners did not raise any new matter or issue in its motion. Accordingly, this court finds no cogent justification to reconsider its motion decision dated July 26,” the CA ruling read.
Panelo also insisted anew that the court ruling versus Rappler has nothing to do with press freedom.
“Well, definitely. It’s not related naman, ever since hindi naman talaga related (ever since, it was never really related),” he said.
In a decision dated January 11, 2018, the SEC said Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corp. have failed to comply with a provision in the Philippine Constitution on mass media ownership.
“Revocation of Certificate of Incorporation on each respondent — Rappler Inc. being the mass media entity that sold control to foreigners, and Rappler Holdings Corporation being its alter ego, existing for no other purpose than to effect a deceptive scheme to circumvent the Constitution,” the SEC decision read.
“The Foreign Equity Restriction is very clear. Anything less than One Hundred Percent (100 percent) Filipino control is a violation,” it added.
