20 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 84 The second cyber libel case against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was dismissed on 01 June 2021 after businessman Wilfredo Keng withdrew the case.65 Businessman Wilfredo Keng filed his second cyber libel complaint against Ressa in February 2020. The complaint was due to Ressa’s 15 February 2019 tweet, which posted screenshots of a 2002 Philippine Star article linking the property developer to the murder of a former councilor.66 85 On 10 August 2021, the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 24, dismissed the cyber libel case against Ressa and reporter Rambo Talabong after complainant Mr. Ariel Pineda, who was involved in the disputed thesis-for-sale story, dropped the case.67 The cyber libel complaint was filed in October 2020 by Benilde faculty member Ariel Pineda, whom a student accused of accepting payments in exchange for passing students in their thesis subjects under him. The Court ordered the arrest of Maria Ressa and Rambo Talabong in January 2021.68 86 On 08 October 2021, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard the freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.69 87 CNN Philippines reported on 24 September 2021 that a unit under the Department of Information & Communications Technology has confirmed that the cyber-attacks on the websites of ComBulatlat and Altermidya, two alternative media outfits, were linked to the Philippine Army. Bulatlat and Altermidya, in a joint statement dated 23 September 2021, said the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-PH) reported that the attacks originated from the internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the Philippine Army.70 88 The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairman Michael Aglipay unceremoniously removed Rappler journalist Rambo Talabong from a Viber group with various reporters on 27 September 2021. Aglipay kicked out Talabong after the journalist wrote a story on the DIWA representative’s latest defence of the Duterte administration. Aglipay’s comment was about the Senate hearing’s revelation that the production stickers on the face masks procured by the government from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation were tampered. The tampering of the production stickers effectively also changed the expiry dates.71 65 Buan, L. (2021). Wilfredo Keng withdraws 2nd cyber libel suit vs Maria Ressa. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/ nation/wilfredo-keng-withdraws-second-cyber-libel-suit-vs-maria-ressa 66 Navallo, M. (2020). Businessman Wilfredo Keng files 2nd cyber libel complaint vs journalist Maria Ressa. https://news. abs-cbn.com/news/06/19/20/businessman-wilfredo-keng-files-2nd-libel-complaint-vs-journalist-maria-ressa 67 Buan, L. (2021). Manila court drops cyber libel case vs Maria Ressa, Rambo Talabong. Retrieved from https://www. rappler.com/nation/manila-court-dismisses-cyber-libel-case-rappler-ressa-talabong 68 Buan, L. (2021) Court orders arrest of Maria Ressa, Rambo Talabong over Benilde thesis story. https://www.rappler. com/nation/court-orders-arrest-of-maria-ressa-reporter-rambo-talabong-over-benilde-thesis-story 69 The Nobel Peace Prize. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2021/press-release 70 CNN Philippines Staff. (2021). PH Army behind cyber-attacks on two alternative media outlets, DICT unit confirms. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/9/24/Philippine-Army-cyber-attack-media-BulatlatAltermidya.html 71 Rappler. (2021). Lawmaker restricts access of Rappler reporter after story on Pharmally face shields. Retrieved from https:// www.rappler.com/nation/lawmaker-restricts-access-reporter-after-story-pharmally-face-shields-september-27-2021