Maria Ressa, Rappler cleared of tax evasion charges

The Court of Tax Appeals ruled that prosecutors failed to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that the news organization had evaded tax payments in four instances after raising capital through partnerships with two foreign investors. “The acquittal of the accused is based on the findings of the court that respondents did not commit the crime charge,” the court said in its decision.

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This was just one of several legal cases that Ressa said were used by former President Rodrigo Duterte to suppress critical reporting.

“Today, facts win, truth wins, justice wins,” said a visibly emotional Ressa after the verdict was announced. Rappler welcomed the court decision as “the triumph of facts over politics.”

“We thank the court for this just decision and for recognizing that the fraudulent, false, and flimsy charges made by the Bureau of Internal Revenue do not have any basis in fact,” Rappler said in a statement. “An adverse decision would have had far-reaching repercussions on both the press and the capital markets.”

The case against Ressa alleged that Rappler had failed to include proceeds from a 2015 sale of depositary receipts to foreign investors in its tax returns. However, the tax court ruled that the receipts were non-taxable, which removed the basis of the tax evasion charges filed by Justice Department prosecutors under former President Duterte.

Ressa and Rappler are currently appealing the Securities and Exchange Commission closure order that provoked the now-resolved tax case. That order had shut down Rappler based on an allegation alone that the news website violated a constitutional provision that prohibits foreign ownership and control of Philippine media companies. Rappler denied this, saying it was a news company totally owned and controlled by Filipinos.

Aside from the SEC appeal, Ressa and Rappler face another tax case filed by prosecutors in another court while Ressa remains on bail and appeals the six-year prison sentence on the libel conviction in a case brought by businessman Wilfredo Keng. Rappler reported that Keng had lent a sport utility vehicle to Supreme Court Judge Renato Corona and cited sources who claimed Mr. Keng was tied to illegal drugs, human trafficking, and murder.

The National Union for Journalists of the Philippines said in a statement, “While colleagues similarly face legal challenges –from libel to made up terrorism charges – in relation to their work, we take inspiration from this acquittal that if we stand up and hold the line, we can win.”

Are you unhappy with any of the relationships in your life?

It can be a scary question to ask ourselves because connections with people are so important. When we can’t seem to get along with someone in our family, friend circle, or the workplace, it can cause us to feel frustrated, angry, and resentful. The state of our personal relationships can have a big impact on physical health, mental, emotional, and even spiritual well-being. Relationship problems can affect mood and sleep and cause us to be distracted from other important things.

One message that I often hear from clients is, “It’s their fault! They don’t understand how hard I try, and don’t see all the sacrifices that I make.” It is always easier to identify the mistakes and faults of other people. But often, the key to improving relationships is to focus on what we have control of – our own actions, and not the other person!

According to Williams (2012), in most cases, each person in a relationship is responsible for at least 30 per cent of the problem. And a lot of the time, the difficulty lies in how we communicate with each other. If we make a strong commitment to change our communication style, chances

NURSES...

From page 1 based on qualifications. Additional immigration support and facilitation will be provided by Manitoba immigration pathway officers, to help guide and assist the immigration and settlement process.

With more than 230,000 immigrants choosing Manitoba as their new home over the last two decades, and high numbers of Filipino immigrants settling in communities across Manitoba, the province is well positioned to attract internationally educated health-care providers from the Philippines.

Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration Jon Reyes will also participate in the mission.

“I’m very proud to be a member of Manitoba’s large and dynamic Filipino community, and long history of recruiting health-care providers from the Philippines. I look forward to sharing the many virtues and opportunities that our province has to offer, along with promoting the already thriving Filipino community here in Manitoba,” said Reyes.

Temporary Foreign Workers

In an e-mail dated January 29, 2023, Pilipino Express was informed by a Manitoba government spokesperson that the IENs who are recruited will be arriving as temporary foreign workers with Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program’s supported are, the other person will follow and respond in a positive way. As the famous expression goes, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!”

John Gottman, a psychologist specializing in relationships, first conceptualized the four horsemen of communication failures. Although he focused on romantic couples, his ideas can be used to improve all relationships.

He identified four major mistakes that couples make, which should be avoided at all costs.

Engaging in these communication pitfalls could mean the end of a relationship. It would be worthwhile to ask yourself if you do any of the following:

1. Criticism

Criticism is different from complaining. While complaining addresses a behaviour that you don’t like, criticizing says that it is the other person that you do not like. Although criticism may feel good for the moment because you are angry and want to feel better, the long-term effects of considering the other person’s feelings will be much more beneficial. Change will be more likely to happen if you address the behaviour, not criticize the person.

Example of complaining: I work permits.

According to the spokesperson, “This will allow the IENs to enter the workforce and become established in Manitoba while their permanent resident applications are in process with the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The processing of permanent resident applications is the responsibility of IRCC. Current processing times, as of January 27, 2023, indicate a timeframe of 21 months based on the submission of a complete application.

The IENs will be able to bring their eligible dependents with them to Canada. IENs’ spouses may be eligible to apply for open work permits, and unmarried children under the age of 22 will be able to attend schools in Manitoba.”

“We are asking for the community’s help in sharing news of this opportunity with friends and family living in the Philippines, as well as in sharing the many things that they love about living here,” added Minister Reyes.

The Manitoba government has developed a support and mentorship package for eligible nurses. The package includes support for travel, immigration costs, credentialing, and buddied mentorship.

“We know that Manitoba is an incredible place to live, work and build a future,” said Premier Stefanson. “Our close ties to the Philippines and the thriving local