EMBATTLED online news firm Rappler remains prohibited from entering the entire Malacañang complex, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said Thursday, March 1.
Roque told Palace reporters that President Rodrigo Duterte's previous order to ban Rappler from covering activities at the Malacañan Palace has not been lifted.
His statement came a day after investment firm Omidyar Network admitted donating its Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) to Rappler's managers.
PDRs are legal instruments that allow foreign investors to invest in a Filipino company without owning any part of it or being involved in day-to-day operations.
Omidyar Network, a philantrophic arm of EBay funder Pierre Omidyar, on Wednesday, February 28, defended Rappler, and stressed that the news website should continue to operate.
In a press conference Wednesday, February 28, Omidyar partner Stephen King said the donation of PDRs "eliminates the sole basis" of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) decision against Rappler.
"We therefore strongly believe that (Rappler) should be allowed to continue operating unhindered in the Philippines," he said.
The SEC revoked Rappler's certificate of incorporation on January 11 for allegedly violating the constitutionally mandated foreign equity restrictions when it received funds from Omidyar and gave the latter the privilege of being consulted on any change in the news organization's by-laws.
The SEC's ruling prompted Duterte in February to prevent Rappler and its reporter, Pia Ranada, from entering the "whole of Malacañang complex." The President said he would only allow Rappler to gain access to Palace coverage if it is declared as a "legitimate" news media outfit.
Rappler has already appealed to the Court of Appeals to overrule the SEC's decision on the revocation of its license. The appellate court has yet to act on Rappler's petition.
Roque said Omidyar's statement only "strengthens the decision of the SEC because it is an acknowledgment that they violated the Philippine Constitution no less."
He said the Philippine government was "happy" with foreign entity's admission as it only proves that Rappler is not a "victim of infringement of press freedom."
"What is our view of this act of Omidyar? I think they acknowledged that their PDR contravenes the Constitution and our existing laws. It's an admission against interest, that they violate our Constitution because they said. Now it removes the only obstacle that keeps Rappler from operating," Roque said.
"That's an admission and we're happy that they admitted because now we can say, even Rappler now admits that they're not victims of infringement of press freedom. No less than their founder now admitted that they're in violation of the Philippine Constitution (when it) took steps, hoping that these will rectify it," he added. (VoxPop Philippines)
