WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – Rappler CEO Maria Ressa’s much-ballyhooed claim of suppression of Press Freedom, harassment and political intimidation has caught the fancy of several international media organizations. 

Ressa’s claim stems from several cases filed against her that prompted the issuance of warrants of arrest.  She is charged with tax evasion and cyber libel.

Now, U.S. President Donald Trump has joined in the fray over Ressa, but for a different reason.

Trump is now questioning Ressa’s dual U.S. and Filipino citizenship in the light of allegations that she is not even Filipino.  Some in social media allege that both of Ressa’s parents are Indonesian which makes her ineligible for automatic Filipino citizenship.

”How can I trust her to be an American if she can’t even be trusted to tell the truth about her Filipino heritage.” Trump told The Adobo Chronicles.

”I am therefore inclined to order the State Department and the Department of Justice to revoke Ressa’s U.S. citizenship unless she can show me her birth certificate proving she is Filipino.”

Trump is credited for the birthright movement which came about when he questioned Barack Obama’s citizenship.  He continued to doubt Obama’s being a natural-born American citizen even after the former U.S. President made public his birth certificate proving he was born in Hawaii.

We tried to reach Ressa at the Rappler headquarters today for comment but she and her staff were busy dealing with a protest staged by two prominent bloggers, Mark Lopez and Jovybev Aquino who accused her of destroying the image of the Philippines through her antics about her legal troubles.