Allow Ressa to receive Nobel peace prize in Norway - Gordon

Senator Richard J. Gordon today urged the government to reconsider its decision opposing Filipino journalist Maria Ressa's request to allow her to receive personally her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway scheduled on Dec. 10.

Gordon, who chairs the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said Ressa's award is the first for the Philippines and for a Filipino journalist that should be a great occasion to celebrate despite political differences.

"To many of us, the prestigious award conferred to Ressa, a historic first for the Philippines, sets the momentum in the right direction of our individual and collective efforts to allow a culture of truth-telling to prevail in our country," he said.

"By her dedication and personal sacrifice, she truly deserves all support for such global distinction," he added.

The government, through the Office of the Solicitor General, has opposed Ressa's request to travel to Oslo, Norway and receive her Nobel peace prize because it claims that she is a "flight risk" to evade charges hurled against her.

Ressa has recently requested the Court of Appeals to allow her to fly directly to Norway from US where she has also been allowed to give a series of lectures. She had been seeking permission due to her libel and tax evasion charges.

She is set to receive the Nobel Peace Prize Award, along with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, for their efforts to "safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."

Instead of vitriol, Gordon remarked that the government should see Ressa as an individual who has brought pride and honor to the country by pushing for a culture of truth-telling to prevail in the country.

"Let us then allow the first Filipino Nobel laureate to bring pride and honour to our country and speak on behalf of the freedom-loving and peace-seeking Filipino people who continually fight unflagging attempts to manufacture and spread lies and disinformation rewriting our history and muzzle all those who are critical of government policies," he said.

"The only risk the government should be concerned about is its flight from reason that, if allowed, would put the country into further embarrassment before the eyes of the international community," he added.

It may be recalled that Gordon recognized Ressa's feat last Oct. 11 by filing Senate Resolution (SR) 925 seeking to confer upon her the high acclamation of the Senate for her historic international achievement.

In SR 925 he authored, the Senator said Ressa serves as an inspiration to journalists and a beacon of hope to ordinary citizens, amidst the deluge of disinformation and a conscious effort to mislead the public through lies.

He has been urging the Senate to confer Ressa with a Senate Medal of Excellence, an award that is bestowed to those who have given pride to the country.