Journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines wins Nobel Peace Prize
Journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines wins Nobel Peace Prize
Maria Ressa, Philippine-American journalist and co-founder of the digital investigative journalism outlet Rappler, won the Nobel peace prize, along with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, for fighting for freedom of expression and the press against repressive regimes. The chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, said they earned the award “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” She is best know for challenging President Duterte, his government, and its policies. Rappler has published articles on a pro-Duterte ‘troll army’ that was pushing fake news and the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations that happened during Duterte’s war on drugs. These articles lead to Duterte launching an investigation into Ressa for alleged tax evasion, along with other legal troubles In less than two years, she had been issued 10 arrest warrants.
Ressa has been a notable journalist for years. She was especially prevalent in US news cycles in 2016-2018 when the Philippines war on drugs was getting a lot of publicity, even being one of “The Guardians” who were Time Magazines 2018 person of the year. This award shows a global emphasis on accurate and critical reporting against those who abuse power. And with Rappler being one of a shrinking number of independent news outlets in the Philippines, the award helps cement what’s been cemented time and time before, independent and free press is necessary in exposing corruption and wrongdoing. Her work can be seen as a contributing factor to Duterte’s retirement from politics.
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