The arrest of Rappler Chief Executive Officer Maria Ressa “tolls the death knell for freedom of expression and of the press,” asserts Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman.

The Bicol solon denounced the late afternoon arrest of Ressa on February 13 even as he also questioned why the warrant of arrest did not recommend bail when cyber libel is a bailable offense.

“The failure to recommend bail was a self-serving design to delay Ressa’s posting of a bail bond,” Lagman observed.

Lagman underscored that “courageous and incorruptible journalists are needed now more than ever as authoritarianism and impunity govern the actions of those who wield power in our nation.”

Government should support and encourage an unfettered press, not muzzle, harass and threaten journalists and media outlets, Lagman said.

He explained that a principled and vibrant press is critical in ensuring accountability of those in power. Lagman emphasized that “the transparency that a free – even adversarial – press brings keeps government officials on their toes, decreases the risk of corruption and promotes basic right of citizens to make the best possible informed decisions about their government, their communities and their lives.”

EDCEL C. LAGMAN