August 21st, 12:30am August 21st, 12:30am TEBArticles

American business news channel CNBC reported that Rappler founder Maria Ressa has commissioned one of the most sought-after law firms (read expensive) in the United States, Covington & Burling, in her campaign against the administration of President Rody Duterte.

“The big question that pops out is where Ressa is getting the huge financial backing for such an expensive undertaking as hiring a top-notch American law firm that even the government can’t afford.

The law firm, described as a “lobbying juggernaut,” is the counsel of the State of California in issues against the administration of President Donald Trump.

CNBC said Covington & Burling will “take on Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, one of Donald Trump’s most loyal allies in the region.”

CNBC said lobbying disclosure, which is a US government requirement, showed Ressa has tapped two partners from the law firm “to help her with a foreign relations campaign against Duterte.”

“The filing showed that Peter Lichtenbaum and Kurt Wimmer are working with Ressa.

Lichtenbaum, who served in President George W. Bush’s administration, is one of dozens of previous national security officials who signed the ‘Never Trump’ declaration,” it added.

Lichtenbaum is in the “Who’s who?” of the American legal circle and he will likely work with another lawyer celebrity, Amal Clooney, in representing Ressa in the US lobby and if they find a way in the local courts.

Even the best American lawyers do not have the license to represent Ressa in the complaints she faces in local courts since the Constitution does not allow it. The suits are also unrelated to the claim of violation of freedom of expression and of the press, as Ressa and her supporters are trying to make appear, since she and Rappler are facing charges of cyberlibel and violation of the anti-dummy act.

Ressa, furthermore, has described the cases against her as harassment for Rappler’s critical reporting of the Duterte administration.

President Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said the only role that the American lawyers can play are as consultants or spokesmen of Ressa in the court battle she’s facing.

The lobby effort apparently will center on the Duterte administration’s argument that press freedom is being used as an excuse to attack the Duterte administration and for which Ressa claims to be persecuted.

The big question that pops out is where Ressa is getting the huge financial backing for such an expensive undertaking as hiring a top-notch American law firm that even the government can’t afford.

According to CNBC, Rappler has also brought on Wimmer and Lichtenbaum for assistance in the cases it is facing.

Wimmer, one of the counsels Ressa is tapping, explained in an email to CNBC that the lawyers anticipate providing legal counsel for Ressa and Rappler, as well as briefing US policymakers.

“We anticipate that in addition to providing US legal counsel, our role will include briefing US policymakers who are concerned with freedom of expression and the rule of law so that they understand all of the facts surrounding the Philippine government’s treatment of Ms. Ressa and Rappler,” Wimmer said.

The foreign financiers of the yellow mob are casting their lot apparently on the issues hounding Ressa as Vice President Leni Robredo, who naturally should be their main political figure, is floundering in her anti-Duterte push which has led to her steadily dropping ratings while helping push up Rody’s public acceptance to a record high at a juncture of his term when he’s supposedly a political lame duck.

Ressa’s pretensions of being a persecuted vanguard of press freedom should be exposed as part of moves to destabilize the administration of Rody.