Raissa Robles, the South China Morning Post's veteran Manila correspondent, has found herself at the centre of an online whispering campaign suggesting she gave bank account information relating to Philippines Chief Justice Renato Corona to prosecutors attempting to impeach him.
Robles is vigorously denying the allegations through her own blog as well as via statements to the Post, local newspapers and a major TV network.
While 'amused' by some of the depictions of her, she said she fears she could be the victim of a smear campaign that, at worst, might incite supporters of the embattled Corona to violence.
'It is a very tense time and the chief justice is fighting for his political life. I only hope some of his supporters are not tempted by violence,' Robles said.
'There is no truth to the allegations whatsoever,' she said, adding that she had never received documents from bank employees, or passed on any bank documents. 'I fear it's a smear campaign because they can't discredit my stories ... I've always verified my stories, and I'm always fair.'
Robles' stories have included a World Bank report into the misuse of a loan to enhance the 'institutional integrity' of the Philippine Supreme Court - an objective described by Corona as a 'huge lie'. She also investigated Corona's cheap purchase of a luxury 3,000 sq ft apartment in Manila's The Fort complex, home to some of the country's wealthiest businessmen.