Office of the President: Rappler’s media accreditation has ‘accordingly ceased’

Rappler can no longer cover inside Malacañang unless it secures a stay order from the Court of Appeals on the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that revoked the online news site's incorporation papers, a Palace official said Tuesday.

"The Executive Secretary's position as relayed to presidential spokesman Harry Roque is this: unless the CA issues a TRO against the SEC ruling (which voided Rappler's registration), Rappler's accreditation with the Malacañang Press Corps has accordingly ceased," Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

As a result, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada is barred from covering media events at the Palace unless she gets accredited in another capacity, Guevarra said. 

Following Guevarra's clarification, Ranada was prevented by the Presidential Security Group from entering the venue in the Palace where Duterte was to lead the induction of officers of an Indian business group.

WATCH: The Presidential Security Group barred Rappler reporter Pia Ranada from entering the venue in Malacañang where President Duterte is set to lead the induction of officers of an Indian business group. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/oZWfqmXcnM

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) February 20, 2018

Gueverra's statement came after Roque quoted Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as saying that Rappler was still allowed to cover President Rodrigo Duterte and Malacañang pending resolution of the online news site’s appeal on the ruling of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

If the SEC ruling becomes final and is upheld by the courts, Roque also claimed Rappler would have to apply for accreditation with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) whose members are only allowed to cover on event basis only.

The SEC revoked Rappler’s certificate of incorporation last month for supposedly violating the constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of mass media.

According to the SEC, Rappler violated the Constitution and laws when it allowed Omidyar Network, one of the Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDR) holders of Rappler, to exercise control over its corporate affairs as provided for in their internal agreement, in exchange for a fund infusion of $1 million.

Medialdea said Rappler had to fix issues about its corporate existence before it could cover the Palace again.

“Ayusin muna nila ang kanilang personality as a local corporation otherwise they cannot [cover] di ba???“ he told reporters.

‘Yun ang gist ng decision ng SEC [decision]. Ang accreditation ni Pia is because of the accreditation ng SEC.”

Medialdea added that Duterte only followed the SEC ruling which the Palace executive said was “executory.”

Rappler has repeatedly earned the ire of Duterte and other Palace officials over what they term as irresponsible reporting. — MDM, GMA News