Court acquits Maria Ressa, Rappler directors in anti-dummy case | The wRap - video Dailymotion

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Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:   ⁃ Maria Ressa, Rappler directors acquitted in anti-dummy case  ⁃ Sara Duterte to skip Marcos’ SONA for second straight year — House  ⁃ Comelec division declares Benny Abante Manila 6th District congressman  ⁃ Philippines reports ‘illegal swarming’ of Chinese maritime militia in Rozul Reef  ⁃ Ju Haknyeon denies prostitution allegations after departure from THE BOYZ, agency  https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/june-19-2025

Transcript

00:00Today on Rappler

00:08A passing court acquits Maria Ressa and Rappler directors in a Duterte-era anti-dummy case.

00:19Vice President Sara Duterte will skip President Marcus Jr.'s State of the Nation address once again.

00:24The Commission on Election's 2nd Division declares losing candidate Benny Abante the winner of the Manila 6th District race.

00:31The Philippine Coast Guard says over 50 Chinese maritime militia ships swarmed Rosal Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

00:38And K-pop star Joo Han-yon denies prostitution allegations made by his agency.

00:44A passing city court acquits Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa

00:49and Rappler directors in the anti-dummy case filed during the Rodrigo Duterte administration.

00:54The court says the granting of their motion for demur to evidence is tantamount to acquittal.

00:59Demur to evidence motions are filed when the defense believes the prosecution's evidence is weak enough

01:04that it doesn't have to present its own.

01:06It is filed after the prosecution's presentation and has the effect of a motion for an outright dismissal.

01:12The anti-dummy case stems from the National Bureau of Investigation's allegation

01:15that Rappler violated the anti-dummy law when it issued Philippine depository receipts to foreign investor Omidyar Network.

01:22Rappler has maintained it is 100% Filipino-owned, and the PDRs were merely legal financial instruments

01:29also used by other media entities for financial transactions.

01:33The mother case of the anti-dummy charge is the January 2018 order from the Securities and Exchange Commission

01:38revoking Rappler's license on charges that it violated the constitutional ban on foreign ownership of media.

01:44The Court of Appeals junked the SEC order in 2024.

01:47The CIA's Special Seventh Division voided the shutdown order, affirming that Rappler is 100% Filipino-owned.

01:56Vice President Sara Duterte will not attend President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation address on July 28.

02:04House Secretary General Reginald Velasco says his office received a letter from Duterte's office,

02:09but says he will, quote,

02:10Duterte first skipped Marcos' Sona in 2024, weeks after she resigned from his cabinet.

02:20Last year, Duterte said she was not attending the Sona because she appointed herself as a designated survivor,

02:26despite the Philippines having no such rule.

02:29Duterte's controversial comment was among the instances cited by the House of Representatives

02:33when it impeached the Vice President in February over her alleged efforts to destabilize the government.

02:38She was impeached on the grounds of betrayal of public trust,

02:41culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft on corruption, and other high crimes.

02:47Duterte denies allegations against her in broad strokes and insists she is being politically persecuted.

02:53The Commission on Election's 2nd Division annuls the proclamation of the supposed winner of Manila's 6th District,

03:00Joey Chua Uy, over citizenship issues.

03:03This means the Comelec Division ruled in favor of incumbent representative Benny Abante

03:08after finding that Uy is not a natural-born Filipino.

03:11He won over Abante in a close fight.

03:14Abante submitted Uy's immigration records to support his claim that Uy is a naturalized Filipino and not natural-born.

03:20At the time of Uy's birth, his parents were still Chinese citizens.

03:24They were granted Filipino citizenship when Uy was 5 years old.

03:28Abante argued that Uy is not a Filipino citizen at birth following the 1935 Constitution,

03:33which provides that citizens of the Philippines are those whose fathers are citizens of the Philippines.

03:38The ruling reads, quote,

03:40Since natural-born citizenship requires that the individual be a citizen of the Philippines from birth,

03:45respondent cannot validly claim natural-born status.

03:48The Comelec Division says that Uy made a false declaration in its Certificate of Candidacy.

03:53Uy may still file for a motion for reconsideration before the Comelec, which will hear the case en banc.

03:59The Philippine Coast Guard says Thursday, June 19,

04:03over 50 Chinese Maritime Militia or CMM ships swarmed Rosal Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

04:08PCG spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tariela,

04:13says two PCG vessels and one aircraft were deployed on June 18 to verify reports of illegal swarming.

04:19He adds, the 50 militia vessels were both scattered and clustered together.

04:23Chinese Maritime Militia ships are fishing vessels serving as force multipliers for the Chinese Navy or Coast Guard.

04:29In the past, these vessels were observed to move in coordination with China's maritime forces in blocking and harassing Philippine vessels.

04:35Tariela says the PCG vessels and aircraft issued a challenge to the Chinese ships via radio,

04:41notifying them that they were operating within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone.

04:45The Chinese militia vessels were asked to clarify intentions and cease swarming, but the PCG received no response.

04:51K-pop star Joo Han-yeon denies claims made by his agency 100 after the latter announced the termination of his contract and departure from Du Bois.

05:02He posts a handwritten letter Wednesday, June 18.

05:05The translation from Soompi says,

05:07While it is true that I was at that gathering, it was completely false that I engaged in any illegal activity, such as prostitution.

05:14I am deeply reflecting on my actions and would like to sincerely apologize to everyone who was shocked by this matter.

05:20100 earlier issued a statement expressing it immediately suspended Han-yeon's activities with the boys and investigated the matter.

05:27The agency added,

05:29it finally came to the decision to remove Han-yeon from the group.

05:32It also terminated his contract after finding that it could no longer maintain the trust in him as an artist.

05:37Joo Han-yeon first rose to fame in 2017 as a contestant on the second season of K-pop survival show Produce 101

05:44and later debuted with the boys in December 2017.

05:47And that's today's wrap.

05:50I'm Cara Oliver.

05:53Click the link below for the full story.

05:55Follow us on Rappler's YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Court acquits Maria Ressa, Rappler directors in anti-dummy case | The wRap

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