Rappler: Independent media won’t be silenced by ‘silly diagrams, lousy scripts’

Online news website Rappler on Wednesday fired back at Malacañang for tagging it anew to an alleged plot aimed at discrediting President Rodrigo Duterte.

Rappler was among media outlets named in a matrix revealed to the media by presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo which supposedly showed an alleged plot by the former ruling Liberal Party, administration critics, and the Magdalo party-list against the President.

In its statement, Rappler said: "We've long moved from laughable to farce. These moves are insidious and dangerous."

"As technology has proven, a lie told a million times becomes the truth. More so when it's a concerted campaign from social media, government co-opted media, and from the podium of power, Malacañang." 

"It's clear there will be consequences if journalists keep asking questions. But independent media will not be silenced or intimidated by silly diagrams and lousy scripts," it added.

Also named in the matrix were personalities from the Vera Files, as well as the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, and lawmakers Neri Colmenares, and Carlos Zarate.

Panelo claimed of a “very active online collaboration” between Vera Files president Ellen Tordesillas, Aquino administration spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Cocoy Dayao, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Rodel Jayme, Bong Banal, Arman Pontejos, and other Liberal Party groups and supporters.

Majority of those included in the matrix have denied the allegation. — RSJ, GMA News