Philippine journalist Maria Ressa says new libel case "ludicrous"

MANILA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Maria Ressa, who heads a
Philippine news website known for its tough scrutiny of
President Rodrigo Duterte, refused to enter a plea on Tuesday in
a second cyber libel case she faces, saying the charges against
her were ludicrous.
Ressa, a Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2018, has faced
a series of lawsuits that she says amount to intimidation
against her and other journalists in a country previously known
for upholding press freedom.
"I will take this all the way to the end, and we will win
it, because it's ludicrous," Ressa, CEO of news site Rappler
(www.rappler.com), told reporters outside the court in Manila.
Ressa's counsel, Theodore Te, said they had agreed to a
conditional arraignment while waiting for a decision on a motion
to quash the charges.
Businessman Wilfredo Keng had filed a new cyber libel case
against Ressa, accusing her of sharing screenshots of a 2002
article linking him to a criminal report. Keng's lawyers did not
talk to reporters after the hearing.
In June, Ressa was convicted of libel over a 2012 article
that linked Keng to illegal activities. She faces up to six year
in jail but is appealing the ruling. Ressa is also facing several other cases, including tax
offences and violation of foreign-ownership rules in media.
She has said the cases are a form of harassment due to her
news site's critical reports on Duterte's bloody war on drugs,
during which more than 5,900 suspected drug dealers and users
have been killed in anti-narcotics operations.
Duterte has lambasted media agencies for critical reporting
on alleged rights abuses in the campaign.
In July, lawmakers allied with the president blocked the
application of media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corp ABS.PS , which
has also angered Duterte, for a congressional franchise renewal.
As a result, the country's biggest broadcaster closed radio
stations, shut down provincial offices and laid off thousands of
workers.