The ban against Rappler staff started on Feb. 20, 2018, when a member of the Presidential Security Group banned Pia Ranada from entering Malacañang complex. On March 1, 2018, Duterte said in a speech that he is banning Rappler reporters from events where he will be in attendance. In April 2019, Rappler reporters sought relief from the SC and assailed Duterte’s order to prohibit them from covering his public events. ‘Pretextual’ accreditation"Involved here is the invocation of executive power and an attempt by the Government to directly interfere in the workings of the Philippine Press," Rappler stressed before the court. Rappler raised that the “accreditation requirement” is merely “pretextual,” or merely a justification of the ban that Duterte had announced.

Source: Philippine Star January 21, 2020 03:11 UTC