Duterte-critic journalist given second Philippine cyber libel charge

MANILA: Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa asked a court on Friday to quash the second charge of cyber libel she has faced this year, in a case sparked by a screenshot of an online news article.

The critic of President Rodrigo Duterte is already on bail pending an appeal against a conviction in June for the same type of offence, for which she faces up to six years in prison.

Ressa and her news site Rappler face at least a dozen criminal charges and probes after publishing stories critical of the Duterte government, including its bloody war on drugs that has killed thousands. Ex-Rappler journalist Reynaldo Santos was also found guilty in the previous case.

Ressa, a former CNN journalist, described the latest cyber libel charge as "crazy" and "dangerous". The charge -- which prosecutors filed on November 23 -- stems from a complaint by businessman Wilfredo Keng over Ressa’s tweet in 2019 of a screenshot of a 2002 story published by Philstar.com about Keng.