On October 10, 2022, the Court of Appeals upheld its July 2022 decision affirming the conviction of Nobel Peace laureate and former Rappler writer–researcher Maria Ressa and on charges of libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, 2012.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has been urged to review its laws and regulations penalizing and limiting the exercise of free speech and press freedom, among other rights, during the 4th cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR). During the November 2022 session of the UPR Working Group, the Philippine government denied the shrinking of civic space and media freedom in the country but reportedly accepted 200 out of the 297 UPR recommendations. It, however, outright rejected recommendations to pass laws like the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill and laws on divorce and abortion, citing Filipinos’ unreadiness to embrace such laws.
Three UN special rapporteurs have been invited to visit the Philippines The Justice secretary said that invitations have been extended to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children is set to visit from November 28 to December 8, 2022.