# Philippines: a Rappler reporter is barred from the presidential palace

Published 2026-09-23. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 3 sources.

Status: in effect, as of 2026-09-22.

What we don't know: The source reviewed does not state whether the ban was lifted after Duterte left office in mid-2022.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Rappler reporter Pia Ranada and the outlet's CEO barred from Malacanang Palace, the seat of the Philippine presidency, after the government revoked Rappler's operating license.[1][2][3]

- Country: [Philippines](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ph) (RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180)
- Where: PH
- Level of government: National
- Tactic: Access bans
- Stage: Pressure (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban#stage-pressure)
- Ladder note: The head of government personally ordered a named outlet's reporters excluded from the seat of government after revoking the outlet's corporate license.
- Head of government at the time: [Rodrigo Duterte](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/rodrigo-duterte)
- Issue of the day: The ban followed the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission's January 2018 revocation of Rappler's operating license over a foreign-ownership finding, a decision Rappler said was really aimed at its critical coverage of Duterte.
- Outcome: Unknown, 21 February 2018. The source reviewed reports only the ban taking effect and does not state whether or when it ended.
- Era: The 2010s

## What happened

On February 21, 2018, Jhopee Avancena, head of Malacanang Palace's internal house affairs office, told Rappler reporter Pia Ranada by text message that she and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa had been banned from the palace grounds on President Duterte's orders. Ranada was initially denied access by guards at the gate but was eventually allowed to join a televised news briefing that day. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government acted because Duterte had lost trust in Rappler over what he called "fake news" reporting, and said Rappler's reporters would have to cover the president's speeches and activities by television rather than in person from the palace. The ban followed weeks of government pressure on Rappler, including the Securities and Exchange Commission's revocation of its operating license the previous month, a decision widely read as retribution for the outlet's coverage of Duterte's campaign and his anti-drug enforcement policy.[1][2][3]

The ban remained in force for the remainder of Duterte's term; no reversal is reported in the source reviewed.[1][2][3]

## What reason was given

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government banned Rappler's reporters because President Duterte had "lost trust" in the outlet's "fake news" reporting.[1]

## What changed for reporting

Rappler's palace correspondent could no longer cover the president's activities in person and the outlet was told to rely on television broadcasts instead of first-hand access.[2]

## Timeline

- 2018-02-21: Philippines: a Rappler reporter is barred from the presidential palace

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Harry Roque](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/harry-roque) | other | Presidential spokesperson of the Philippines |
| [Jhopee Avancena](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/jhopee-avancena) | enforced | Head of Malacanang Palace's internal house affairs office |
| [Rodrigo Duterte](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/rodrigo-duterte) | ordered | President of the Philippines |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Rappler](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/rappler) | outlet | affected |
| [Maria Ressa](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/maria-ressa) | journalist, Rappler | affected |
| [Pia Ranada](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/pia-ranada) | journalist, Rappler | affected |

## Sources

1. Philippines bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace. https://cpj.org/2018/02/philippines-bans-rappler-reporters-from-presidenti/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-02-21).
2. Philippine leader bans news site from covering his events over 'fake news'. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/philippine-leader-bans-news-site-from-covering-his-events-over-fake-news-idUSKCN1G41TZ/ (Reuters, 2018-02-21).
3. Palace justifies coverage ban vs Rappler: It's a 'privilege not a right'. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1154213/palace-justifies-coverage-ban-vs-rappler-its-a-privilege-not-a-right (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2019-08-22).

## Claims cited

[1] The presidential spokesperson said the ban followed the president's loss of trust in the outlet's reporting, which he called fake news. Quote: "lost trust" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-02-21. Philippines bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace. https://cpj.org/2018/02/philippines-bans-rappler-reporters-from-presidenti/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/500, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] The spokesperson said Rappler's reporters would have to cover the president's activities by television rather than in person. Quote: "have to cover the leader's speeches and activities by live television rather than in person from the presidential palace" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-02-21. Philippines bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace. https://cpj.org/2018/02/philippines-bans-rappler-reporters-from-presidenti/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/501, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] A palace official told the Rappler reporter by text message that she and the outlet's CEO had been banned from the palace on the president's orders. Quote: "told Ranada by text message that she and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa had been banned from the palace on Duterte's orders" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-02-21. Philippines bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace. https://cpj.org/2018/02/philippines-bans-rappler-reporters-from-presidenti/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/565, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-philippines-bans-rappler-presidential-palace. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.