Philippines' Nobel laureate Ressa cleared of tax evasion, calls verdict win for justice

FILE PHOTO: Nobel laureate Maria Ressa poses for a photo with her book "How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight of our Future" during its launch in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, December 10, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA (Reuters) -Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and her news site Rappler were acquitted by a court of tax evasion charges on Wednesday, a judge said, handing Ressa a victory in a case the veteran journalist has described as part of a pattern of harassment.

Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside a Russian journalist in 2021, is head of Rappler, which earned a reputation for its in-depth reporting and tough scrutiny of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs.