PGMN founder Franco Mabanta, 4 associates arrested over robbery extortion charges | Midday Report

Ajouté : 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]The National Bureau of Investigation [music] arrested a social media personality and his alleged associates for supposedly plotting to blackmail former House Speaker [music] Martin Romero Waldes. Andrea Salv is reporting live from Apasai City. Andrea, what do you know [music] so far?

[00:00:20]My Peanut Gallery Media Network founder Franco Mabanta and four other associates remain at the NBI custody as they await inquest proceedings over robbery, extortion, and cyber crime charges. The group is accused of allegedly plotting to blackmail former House Speaker Martin Rumaldez.

[00:00:41]The NBI says Mabanta's group demanded up to 350 million pesos in exchange for withholding the released of a supposed expose implicating the lawmaker. Reports add that the amount was eventually negotiated down to 300 million pesos with an initial payment of 75 million pesos. Authorities say Raldis' camp saw the NBI assistance leading to an entrapment operation conducted Tuesday night by the organized entrance crimes division. Mabanta was arrested at a country club in Pasig City along with John Alexander Gomez, reportedly an incorporator of the network and three other employees. When asked for a comment, Mabanta denied the allegation, saying, and I quote, "How can we extort when they were the ones who came to us?"

[00:01:26]He declined to elaborate further, saying he has yet to consult with his legal counsel. Maya Andre Franco Mabi uh former House Speaker Martin Rome Wild Moment operations my according to the NBI it was actually it was a representative of the former house speaker who was approached by Mabanta's group and they reported conversation or transaction allegedly started a year ago down and then resurfaced two weeks ago during the entrapment operation. It was the operatives of the NBI organizational crimes division who met with Mabantaas group May. So Andrea, let's not forget [music] this is uh related flood control scandal 75 million pesos upront former speaker money.

[00:02:52]Yung bul money. Can you uh explain that to us?

[00:02:58]B money fake money NBI don enttrapment operation my Okay. Okay. F final question Andrea you four others who were arrested along with Mabanta. Can you tell us what you know so far? What do you know about them? There are reports also that one is the founder of a uh financial consulting firm Tamaba.

[00:03:25]My the NBI did not release the names but according to NBA director Melvin Matibag one of them is allegedly a director of the said network and the other is a if I remember it correctly is a finance officer of the network while the two others are their employees. Mai, thank you. Andrea Salva reporting to us live [music] from the NBI headquarters in PA.

[00:03:50]Now, Franco Mabanta had a [music] short interview with the media at the NBI.

[00:03:55]Let's watch this.

[00:04:01]Social media. I haven't seen it. I don't have my phone.

[00:04:06]It's not true. Definitely not true.

[00:04:11]>> [music] [music] >> Now, who is Franco Mabanta? Here's what we know. Franco Mabanta is [music] a media personality, political strategist, and digital communications [music] practitioner known for his involvement in political messaging and online [music] media. He is the founder of Peanut Gallery Media Network, a digital [music] news and commentary platform launched in 2024, producing political and social content across major social media platforms. Mabanta formerly served [music] as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s social media strategist while the latter was still a senator. His work has focused on media [music] consulting and digital platforms with an emphasis on messaging strategy, audience engagement [music] and online influence. For now, we are waiting for a comment or a reaction from PGMN [music] and Mabanta's camp.