Philippines Jails Journalist, West Cries Foul While Arming Regimes Committing Far Worse
📰 THE STORY: A Philippine court has convicted Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and co-founder of Rappler, on a 'terror financing' charge, in a ruling condemned by various media and human rights organizations as an attack on press freedom. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The Philippines has a long, brutal history of suppressing dissent, often with implicit or explicit
backing from Western powers. During the Ferdinand Marcos Sr. dictatorship (1965-1986), a staunch US ally, thousands were extrajudicially killed, tortured, or imprisoned. The US continued to provide substantial military and economic aid throughout this period, prioritizing strategic interests over human rights. While Marcos Jr. now leads, the playbook of strong-arm tactics remains. Double Standard:
When governments designated as 'adversaries' by the West, such as China or Iran, prosecute journalists or activists, it's immediately decried as authoritarian repression and a grave violation of human rights. Yet, when 'allies' like the Philippines, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia engage in similar or worse practices – often utilizing US-supplied military hardware or political cover – the outrage is often
muted, conditional, or focused solely on individual cases rather than systemic complicity. Compare the ABC News framing here to how they'd cover a similar conviction in, say, Venezuela. Follow the Money: The US military aid to the Philippines is significant, exceeding $1.1 billion since 2011, with recent increases under the Marcos Jr. administration to counter China's influence. This aid,