Maria Ressa, Journalist and Nobel Laureate, Is Cleared of Tax Fraud

The Nobel Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa on Tuesday was acquitted by a Philippine court of tax fraud, the latest legal victory in her fight for the survival of her news site Rappler, which has come to represent the precariousness of the nation’s press freedoms.

A regional trial court in Pasig City, near Manila, found that Ms. Ressa did not violate the country’s tax code, according to the ruling. It was the fifth and final tax-related charge against Ms. Ressa, who faced a fine and up to 10 years in prison, and her publication, according to a statement from Rappler. Both were acquitted of four similar charges in January.

Ms. Ressa, the Philippines’ most prominent journalist, has been the target of harassment and intimidation since she founded the news site in 2012. She has faced a series of civil and criminal cases, including charges of tax evasion and violations of foreign ownership rules. She is out on bail in connection with a charge of cyber libel.

Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s ruling, she said the verdict “now strengthens our resolve to continue with the justice system, to submit ourselves to the court despite the political harassment, despite the attacks on press freedom.”

The tax fraud case was one of many brought by the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, the country’s authoritarian but popular former leader, when the news site was covering his violent antidrug campaign. That coverage helped Ms. Ressa win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

“This is a victory not just for Rappler, but for everyone who has kept the faith that a free and responsible press empowers communities and strengthens democracy,” a statement from Rappler read. “We share this with our colleagues in the industry who have been besieged by