Philippines’ Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa says award for ‘all journalists’

Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa on Saturday said her Nobel Peace Prize was for “all journalists around the world”, as she vowed to continue her battle for press freedom.

“This is really for all journalists around the world,” Ressa, a vocal critic of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, told AFP in an interview.

“We do need help on so many fronts — it is so much more difficult and dangerous to be a journalist today.”

Maria Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression”.

Philippine press groups and rights activists hailed Ressa’s award as a “triumph” in a country ranked as one of the world’s most dangerous for journalists.

Since Duterte was swept to power in 2016, Maria Ressa and Rappler have endured what media advocates say is a grinding series of criminal charges, investigations and online attacks.

Duterte has called Rappler a “fake news outlet”, and Maria Ressa has been the target of abusive messages online.

Ressa, 58, said she hoped the prize would provide a protective shield for her and other journalists in the Philippines against physical attacks and online threats.

“This ‘us against them’ was never the creation of the journalists, it was the creation of the people in power who wanted to use a type of leadership that divides society,” Maria Ressa said, describing the award “like a shot of adrenalin”.

“I hope this allows journalists to do our jobs well without fear.”