And now the National Bureau of Investigations joins the fray
in stomping out the possible executives of Rappler who can be held criminally
liable.
The Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC) last January
11, revoked the certificate of incorporation of Rappler Inc. and Rappler
Holdings Corp. for violating the foreign ownership restrictions on mass media
companies as provided in the 1987 Constitution.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself has made a statement
that he has nothing to do with the SEC decision, the one who chairs the agency
is an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino and only 1 of the 5
commissioners is appointed by him. *
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| DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (photo credit to owner) |
Department of Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II has ordered the National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a probe into the probable criminal
liabilities of the executives/ officers of the online news website Rappler.
Aguirre signed Department Order (DO) No. 17, ordering NBI Dante Gierran to conduct an investigation
and case build-up over the possible violation of the Constitution and other
laws by the media outfit.
Aguirre also told media that, he has already instructed his legal staffs to study throughly the possible criminal liabilities of the executives of the online media entity.
“Whether any law has been violated, it will not be limited to administrative law, Anti-Dummy law but we are going to see if there are other laws violated by anybody in connection with this decision of SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] in (the) cancellation of registration of Rappler,” Aguirre told reporters at the groundbreaking of DOJ Administration Building in Manila on Wednesday.
The DOJ Secretary also echoed the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the SEC decision being a political move by Malacañan, in that four of the five commissioners were appointed by the previous administration.
The Constitution is absolute in saying that ownership and management of mass media in the country is exclusive to Filipino citizens said the DOJ secretary. *
“You should not circumvent what is stated in the Constitution. In other words, you should not do even indirectly what is prohibited in the Constitution,” Aguirre said.
Report from PNA
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