Episode 11: The Arrest of Journalist Maria Ressa and the Rise of Illiberal Democracy in the Philippines

February 18, 2019 in Podcast

Filipino journalist and CEO of Rappler, Maria Ressa, made international news in 2018 when she was named one of the Persons of the Year by Time magazine, a list that included the late Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. She was arrested last Wednesday on charges of cyber-libel and her arrest was widely condemned by journalists and press freedom advocacy organizations both in the Philippines and around the world. The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has denied having anything to do with her arrest.

Host Eliza Romero and Johns Hopkins University PhD candidate, Alvin Camba, discuss why the Philippines is the most dangerous place in Southeast Asia for journalists, how coalitions work in Filipino politics, and how an illiberal democracy might be the near future for Filipinos (and Americans if we’re not careful).

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