Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1)— A Makati City court on Tuesday junked the second cyber libel suit lodged against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa after complainant Wilfredo Keng sought to dismiss the case.
Keng, in a motion dated May 25, asked for the dismissal of the civil aspect of the case, and urged that he be excused from further participating in it.
In his motion, the businessman said he has decided to “redirect his focus towards helping out with the pandemic, instead of being pre-occupied with the prosecution of the case.”
“The public prosecutor manifested that with the private complainant turning hostile to the cause of the prosecution, the prosecution can no longer prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” read the order signed by Judge Andres Soriano of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148.
The court also ordered the return of the ₱24,000 cash bail posted by Ressa in November last year.
Last year, Ressa was charged with cyber libel for the second time over her Twitter post where she shared a news website’s article on Keng. The post contained screenshots of the article, which identified Keng as the “influential Chinese businessman” being eyed as a suspect in the ambush-slay of a former Manila councilor.
Keng earlier said he has never been investigated nor charged for any criminal activity.
Ressa meanwhile welcomed the dismissal of the case.
“I’m glad to hear good news. I look forward to seeing the rest of the cases against me and Rappler dropped in the future,” the journalist said in a statement.
In his motion, Keng said he’s decided to redirect his focus “towards helping out with the pandemic, instead of being pre-occupied with the prosecution of the case.” | @anjocalimario pic.twitter.com/ClUkazIsYH
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) June 1, 2021
JUST IN: Makati court junks Rappler CEO Maria Ressa’s second cyber libel case. Private complainant Wilfredo Keng sought for the dismissal of the case. | @anjocalimario pic.twitter.com/lhfC2VKmJT
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) June 1, 2021
