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As Ressa’s stature has grown worldwide, so, too, has the Philippine
government ramped up its attacks on her both professionally and
personally. For example, she shared samples of social media posts
designed to dehumanize her. In one post, a photo of her is displayed
below that of a Neanderthal man, to show their supposed resemblance. The
caption reads: “She’s not the victim. She’s the abuser of press
freedom.”
Duerte retired and was replaced by his running mate, Ferdinand Marcos
Jr., on June 30. Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, will be vice
president. It remains to be seen whether Ressa’s political harassment
will abate with Marcos in power.
Despite the conditions in which she lives and works, Ressa was,
nonetheless, upbeat at her UD appearance, and remarked, “We are in the
middle of dark times and need to walk out of it and make it better.”
She referenced the Arab Spring as, at least initially, a time when
social media was used for social good. In the present-day war in
Ukraine, Ressa says credit needs to be given to Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy for using social media effectively. “It’s not a
reflection of the platform itself, it’s a reflection of how Zelensky has
inspired his people and people all over the world.”
The event was a bit of a reunion for Ressa, who spent nearly two
decades working as a lead investigative reporter in Southeast Asia for
CNN, and for Begleiter, who worked two decades in CNN’s Washington
bureau as its world affairs correspondent. More than once, Ressa began
her response to a question by noting, “Oh, I wish I could be there in
person with you.”