In an 18-page ruling, the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 157 announced the acquittal of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and her news outlet Rappler Holdings Corporation from their fifth and final tax evasion charge on Tuesday, September 12.

Since 2016, when former President Rodrigo Duterte took the seat of power in Malacañang, Rappler is among those who bore the brunt of the government’s wrath for truth-tellers. This specific case dates back to 2018 when the news outfit was accused of violating Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Rappler, in a statement, said that the victory is not only for their organization but also for those who believe that a free and responsible press plays a role in ‘empower[ing] communities’ and ‘strengthen[ing] democracy.’

Indeed, this is a win for the Philippine media, which endured the then-Duterte administration’s aggressive crackdown on dissent and independent journalism.

But shortly after their acquittal, Rappler CEO Ressa was quick to note that there exists a ‘lifting of fear’ as the Philippines transitioned to a Marcos Jr.-led administration.

“I think what we’ve seen, the transition from the last administration to this administration, is a lifting of fear,” Ressa said to reporters.

And what exactly does she mean by that statement? Does she think that the media now is in a more favorable position? From where I stand, coming up with such a conclusion stems from a myopic perspective that overlooks, if not downplays, the atrocities committed by this administration against the free press.

How can we claim that the fear has been lifted when community journalists such as Frenchie Mae Cumpio remain behind bars, clamoring for that elusive justice?

Is it even remotely possible to carry the sentiment that our current conditions have, in any way, improved when campus publications all over the country continue to endure relentless troll attacks, threats of defunding, and unjustified military intrusion?

I refuse to believe that the current administration has brought improvements to our situation as journalists. Not when state attack dogs, like Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celis, continue to run unchecked and not held to account, shamelessly red-tagging journalists for their critical reportage.

There is no lifting of fear until distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are still wielded by the state as a weapon to silence news organizations. Not to mention, the intensified weaponization of the law targeting alternative news sites such as Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly for unfounded claims of promoting terrorism.

This is not progress.

While Ressa and Rappler’s acquittal from politically motivated tax evasion charges is a welcomed victory for the state of press freedom in the Philippines, claiming that this signifies a ‘lifting of fear’ is a dangerous illusion in a political climate still gripped by fear and suppression.

The phrase ‘Hold The Line’ has become our unified call of defiance in the face of attacks on our freedom and the truth. But holding the line doesn’t stop when one of us has triumphed over its adversaries. The call to hold the line continues until our freedom to publish, without fear of retribution, is a guaranteed reality.

Ressa and Rappler’s victory is not an invitation for us to put down our guards and lull into complacency. In fact, it must be a call for our vigilance to intensify because there is no doubt that those who seek to suppress the power of our pens will only ramp up their attacks.

We have only won one battle, but the fight is far from over. Our dedication to truth-defending must remain firm, for the battle for genuine press freedom extends far beyond individual victories.