Palace: Rappler journalists can be bloggers

FILE: Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. ( YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

After the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that they revoked the license of news media outlet Rappler, the Palace insisted that this was not the Administration’s attack on press freedom and that its reporters can still cover news and be registred as bloggers.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. proposed in a press conference on Wednesday, “Pwede pa silang maging (They can still be) bloggers. Maria Ressa can continue to blog. Pia Ranada can continue to blog.”

“Kaya lang po, baka kailangan nilang kumuha ng (Although, they might have to acquire an) accreditation as bloggers kasi (because) they cannot continue conducting their business as Rappler,” he explained.

Blogger accreditations are processed by the office of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson, who is also a blogger.

“All bloggers, in order to have access to Malacañang, will have to seek accreditation,” Roque further said.

An SEC registration is required to be a member of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC). And under Uson’s accreditation policy, bloggers are only given accreditation on a per-event basis set-up, unlike members of the MPC.

Rappler, in its version of this news article noted that “it has been the Palace practice to allow non-Palace accredited journalists and bloggers to cover presidential events.

In the case of the former, they have to secure a pass from the PCOO’s Media and Accreditation and Relations Office to have access to events for media coverage.”

“Ideally, if this practice is observed, should the SEC decision become final and executory, Rappler would not need official accreditation to cover Malacañang events open to media,” the news site added.

Roque also said that the SEC’s decision is not yet final.

He also defended that this is not an attack to press freedom, as response to Rappler’s statement two days ago.

“The SEC’s kill order revoking Rappler’s license to operate is the first of its kind in history – both for the Commission and for Philippine media. What this means for you, and for us, is that the Commission is ordering us to close shop, to cease telling you stories, to stop speaking truth to power, and to let go of everything that we have built – and created – with you since 2012,” the news site said.

(Read: Gov’t orders Rappler to shut down; Rappler cries ‘harrassment’)