File photo of Philippine Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa
Philippines authorities have ordered the closure of Rappler, the new website of Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa.
The charges raised against the firm are of violating rules on foreign ownership of mass media, but Ressa vowed to keep the site running, Al Jazeera reported.
The order from the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was publicised on Wednesday. The action comes a day before President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to leave office.
Ressa has been a vocal critic of Duterte and the deadly drug war he launched in 2016, prompting actions on grounds of criminal charges, probes and online attacks against Rappler
In a statement, the SEC reaffirmed a previous order that Rappler be shutdown, saying it was cancelling the "certificates of incorporation" of the news site for violating "constitutional and statutory restrictions on foreign ownership in mass media".
Rappler said the decision "effectively confirmed the shutdown" of the company and promised to appeal, describing the proceedings as "highly irregular".
Rappler has been in legal battle against a hostile government which accused it of violating a constitutional ban on foreign ownership in securing funding, and tax evasion.
It has also been accused of cyberlibel – a new criminal law introduced in 2012, the same year Rappler was founded. Duterte has attacked the website by name, calling it a "fake news outlet", over a story about one of his closest aides.
The news portal is accused of allowing foreigners to take control of its website through its parent Rappler Holdings' issuance of "depository receipts".
Under the constitution, investment in media is reserved for Filipinos or Filipino-controlled entities.
The case springs from the 2015 investment from the United States-based Omidyar Network, which was established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. Omidyar later transferred its investment in Rappler to the site's local managers to stave off efforts by Duterte to shut it down.
Ressa, who is also a US citizen, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October for their efforts to "safeguard freedom of expression".
Ressa is fighting at least seven court cases, including an appeal against a conviction in a cyberlibel case.
The Philippines ranks 147th among 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, dropping nine places this year from last year.
This is the fifth time that the country dipped in ranking in the list by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In 2021, the country ranked 138th, then 136th in 2020, 134th in 2019, and 133rd in 2018.