The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to two journalists– Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia—is meant to highlight the need to protect a free and independent press.
Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee also said in an interview that “what we’d like to do with this prize is show that freedom of expression is not a daily exercise that we should take for granted, but is of vital importance for well-functioning societies,”
Reiss-Andersen, in the interview, said “If nobody stands up and gives information, you let the oppressor win. Silence is the supporter of totalitarian regimes.”
She added that Muratov and Ressa “speak up, they document, they publish what is going on. That is why they have been awarded the peace prize and that is their achievement.”
Ressa, co-founder and CEO of digital news site Rappler meanwhile said that the cyberlibel filed against her was a “government’s case.”
Ressa made the statement after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque congratulated her on her Nobel Prize win.
She said the praise from the government “came with a hit”
Reports quoted Ressa as saying that “hand in hand with that [praise] was this reminder, which is a lie… that the cyberlibel complaint is filed by an individual and what the the government repeatedly refuses to say is that it takes a government to actually, file a criminal case.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, meanwhile has filed a Senate Resolution No. 927 urging the Senate to recognize Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize as mandated by Senate Resolution No. 110.
According to Hontiveros, Senate Resolution No. 110 states that recipients of a Nobel Prize automatically receive a Senate Medal of Excellence.
Senators Minority Leader Frank Drilon, and Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Leila De Lima also signed Hontiveros’ resolution.
“Conferring the Senate Medal of Excellence on Maria Ressa is mandatory and procedural. It’s not up for vote or debate.” she stressed.
“Whatever side you look at it from, Maria Ressa’s feat is important for our country and all freedom-loving nations. We have a duty at the Senate to uplift and acknowledge our fellow Filipinos when we make our mark in the world,” she added.
Hontiveros said that ignoring Ressa’s accomplishment would also be “damaging to women’s important role in Philippine history.”
Earlier, the United Nations (UN) office in the Philippines and several business groups congratulated Ressa for winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.
The UN said it recognizes the role of free and independent media as a cornerstone of democracy.
Freedom of expression is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a fundamental right, and it is also an enabler of all other rights,” it said.