Manila: Philippine Veteran Journalist Maria Ressa on Saturday said the Nobel Peace Prize was for “all journalists around the world”, when he vowed to continue his battle for press freedom.
Ressa, Co-founder of the Rappler news site, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov was awarded a prize on Friday for their efforts to “maintain freedom of expression”.
“It’s really for all journalists around the world,” Ressa, a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, said to AFP in an interview.
“We really need help on so many fronts – much more difficult and dangerous to become a journalist today.” Philippine press groups and activists of rights praise Ressa’s award as “victory” in a country ranked as one of the most dangerous worlds for journalists.
Because Duterte swept ruling in 2016, Ressa and Rapler had given what advocate media said was a series of grinding criminal charges, investigations and online attacks.
Duterte has called RAPPLER “fake news outlet”, and Ressa has become a rough message target online.
Ressa, 58, said he hoped the prize would provide a protective shield for him and other journalists in the Philippines against physical attacks and threats online.
“It opposes them ‘never creates journalists, it is the creation of the people in power who wants to use the type of leadership that divides the community,” said Ressa, describing the award “like adrenaline shots”.
“This I hope allows journalists to do our work well without fear.” Ressa has become a critic of Staunch over Duterte and its government policies, including drug wars that are estimated by these groups have killed tens of thousands of poor people.
Rapler is one of the domestic and foreign media outlets that publish surprising images of murder and question the legal basis.
The judge of the International Criminal Court has ratified a full investigation into possible crimes against humanity during a bloody campaign.
Other media outlets have fallen from Duterte, including the Asker of the Philippine daily and the ABS-CBN broadcasting giant, which lost their free-air license last year.
But Ressa said rappler’s independence means it can fight.
“We don’t have other businesses to be protected …
so it’s very easy for us to push back,” he said.
Ressa said seven legal cases, including tax evasion, was still in court “ridiculous” and she was determined to win.
He was guaranteed to wait for an appeal against last year’s belief in the case of cyber world pollution, which faced him up to six years in prison.
Two other libel cyber cases were dismissed earlier this year.
“The abuse of power will succeed if I allow fear in my emotions and in my head to dominate our reaction – the biggest challenge is to always conquer your fear,” he said.
“Being fearless doesn’t mean not afraid, that means knowing how to deal with your fear.” The author “How to stand for dictator” hopes to get permission to travel to Norway to take his Nobel prize.
The Philippine election season, which is ongoing this month with candidates registering more than 18,000 posts from the President to the City Council, will be “critical” for the country, said Ressa, called it “existential moment”.
Voters will choose in May the successor to Duterte, which is constitutionally prohibited from finding the second six years.
The survey showed Duterte, Sara and Son and the names of former Dictators Ferdinand Marcos among the front runners for the top work.
Sara denied the plan to run.
“This will be a battle for the facts,” said Ressa, warned the Philippines “very close to being a democracy in the name.” The Philippines is one of the toughest social media users in the world, and this country has become the main battle field for fake news.
Throughout the campaign against it, Ressa, who was also a US citizen, remained in the Philippines and continued to speak against the Duterte government regardless of the risk.
“I’m joking all the time and sometimes say I really have to thank President Duterte because you don’t really know who you are forced to fight for it,” said Ressa.
“I know who I am now.”