ressa, keng, and the NBI

feb 15.  caught karen davila with guest maria ressa on headstart.  na-dejavu ako.  i first met the two over a private lunch in a fancy hotel some 8 years ago, but that’s another story,

much more interesting is this cyberlibel case filed against ressa for an article rappler posted in 2012.  check out abs-cbn news‘ Timeline: Rappler, Maria Ressa’s cyber libel case.

check out also the updated (in 2014) version  of the 2012 article CJ using SUVs of ‘controversial’ businessmen.

the rappler article says that the information on wilfredo keng was based on an intelligence report prepared in 2002 that rappler got hold of and which detailed keng’s past.

The report stated that Keng had been under surveillance by the National Security Council for alleged involvement in illegal activities, namely “human trafficking and drug smuggling.” He is supposedly close to lawmakers and had contacts with the US embassy at the time.

curiously, CMFR’s vergel santos in a feb 14 ANC interview said that it is the NBI that should be charged with libel.

VERGEL SANTOS. …the man who is accusing rappler of libel is saying that he was not the sort of man that certain intelligence reports make him out to be.  not rappler by the way…  he should libel the NBI, not rappler.  rappler was simply reporting what he is made out to be in certain reports.  it’s perfectly clear and straighforward reporting.   (7:50 = 7:14) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVARBtsVtfs

the NBI?  the NBI was not mentioned at all in the updated article.  but on headstart, davila repeated santos’s gripe for ressa’s lawyer (who was also on cam from some other location) to comment on, but i didn’t quite get the gist of jj disini’s convoluted response.

QUESTION.  sa NBI nga ba galing ang intell report?  paano nalaman ni vergel santos?  was that information contained in the original article but edited out of the 2014 updated version?  if yes, why?  maybe because the document was obtained and used by rappler without the knowledge and permission of the NBI?

and then there’s  this, from keng’s official statement dated feb 14.  meron daw siyang NBI clearance.

Rappler, Ressa and Santos never attempted to obtain my side on the crimes they wrongly imputed to me or to fact-check their baseless attacks against my name. I have never had a criminal record. For almost four decades since I started working, I have consistently secured official clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation certifying that I have never been involved in any criminal case and have never had any criminal history. Since the 1980’s, I have never been investigated by or summoned before any law enforcement agency in connection with any alleged criminal act, much less have I been indicted, arrested, detained or convicted of any crime in the Philippines. Further, the National Bureau of Investigation, as the central repository and chief administrator of the country’s criminal history records, would never have found in my favor and filed the complaint against Rappler, along with its concerned officers and reporter, for cyber libel concerning defamatory imputation of crime if had any criminal record or history in their files.

so.  ano ba talaga, ressa?  ano ba talaga, NBI?  who is telling the truth?  did ressa make up that intell report?  if not, how did she get hold of it?

in his official statement, sey din ni keng:

Upon seeing the libelous article and prior to resorting to judicial remedies, I tried to formally and informally communicate with Rappler in order to have the said article taken down, clear my name and restore my reputation, at least, to the extent possible given the fact that irreparable damage had already been done, multiplied a million-fold because Rappler’s website continues to be accessible by the whole world. In turn, Rappler, likewise through formal and informal channels, repeatedly promised me that they will take down the subject article, but never did. The libelous attacks remain posted on their website until now.  [bold mine]

*irreparable damage has multiplied a million-fold* … hmmm.  is that in pesos, as in millions of pesoses lost?

as expected, social media is awash with information on wilfredo keng — ito ba talaga ang gusto niyang mangyari?

going viral, for instance, is a facebook post, WHO IS WILFREDO KENG? with data from the Philippine Stock Exchange website and DENR.  it would seem that 2017 was “an exciting year for keng.”  and 2018 too, it would seem, given this: Century Peak picked to undertake PPP reclamation project in Cavite.  

rappler‘s article doesn’t seem to have stopped the duterte admin from awarding him big ticket projects.  and he certainly took long enough, waited, it would seem, almost five years before, umm, pouncing on ressa?  as if, on cue?

and then there’s this facebook status of friend steve “based on his observation of the cast of usual suspects.”

STEVE SALONGA. There is a deliberate all-media campaign to capitalize on the Ressa case. Ostensibly for election purposes but with the hope of some magical rainbow coalition forming to oust the President.  The president has no known relationship with the private complainant.

here’s hoping ressa is preparing to mount a serious defense rather than counting on extrajudicial and / or magical measures, as in, an edsa-for-ressa, what a punchline, and to what end?  edsas are for ousting presidents in the hope of systemic change, not for demanding…what?…uh, that the NBI and the BIR drop all charges against ressa?  or else, what?  and will setting her free to publish what she pleases solve any of the problems besetting nation today?

not in a million years.