MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Maria Ressa’s Rappler is finally throwing in the towel. After years of contesting its media license revocation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the online news blog has withdrawn its media in exchange for an NGO status.

Rappler has applied as a political advocacy organization and it is wasting no time in proving its worth as such.

In just the last few days, Rappler has advocated for the release of ex-Philippine Senator Leila de Lima and Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai.

Ironically, Rappler has been silent on worldwide cries to release WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who is about to be extradited to the United States to face charges of leaking confidential, top secret information.

Understandable because Assange was the greatest threat to Ressa’s undeserved Nobel Peace Prize.