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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested social media personality Franco Mabanta for allegedly extorting money from a lawmaker. 📷༘  Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Peanut Gallery Media Network founder Franco Mabanta and his legal counsel appeared before the Pasig Regional Trial Court on Thursday for the arraignment of robbery-extortion and cybercrime charges filed by the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. </p><p>Both legal camps have yet to disclose whether Mabanta and his four associates pleaded guilty or not guilty in the cases of their alleged robbery, extortion, and cybercrime law violations. </p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2057251692656402767&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-05-21T06%3A06%3A04.481612%3A5123e3c8-8cf7-465b-9c21-fa033dc99c8b%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=daba92098eb22c6ed83ab22add2a850786ebf492&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:499px;height:281px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2057251692656402767"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/6/social-media-personality-nabbed-over-alleged-extortion-attempt-0809">arrested </a>the PGMN officials in an entrapment operation on May 5 for allegedly demanding P300 million in exchange for not publishing an alleged exposé against Romualdez.</p><p>Mabanta and the four other respondents were released from the NBI Detention Facility on May 9 after posting <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/9/franco-mabanta-posts-bail-1337">bail </a>worth P120,000 each.</p><p>Romualdez was represented during Thursday’s hearing by his legal counsel, who said they remained confident in the strength of their case.</p><p>“Sa ngayon, we cannot speak of the details of the case along with the other evidence kasi it&#x27;s already subject of the ongoing proceedings. But what we can say right now is that we are confident in the strength of our case and our evidence and the court is the proper forum where we can test this evidence,” said Atty. Elaine Atienza, spokesperson for Romualdez.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1413483250546750%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </span></strong></div><p>Mabanta’s legal counsel declined to speak to the media after the hearing. In a social media post, however, Mabanta maintained that the charges against them were politically motivated and constituted an attack on press freedom. </p><p>“Martin did this to me and to us — he chose to suppress the free media and our constitutional right to free speech — to conceal the fact that no current politician has stolen from and damaged our country more than he has,” he added.</p><p>Atienza however reiterated that they will not engage in what she called speculative assertion and maintained that the case is not about press freedom.</p><p>“We have said before this is not about press freedom. In fact we encourage people if they have anything against any person, they can report that to the authorities. But we should always follow the process. We will not engage in speculative assertion especially those posted in social media. We respect the court process and we trust that the court will view this matter fairly,” she added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/7/romualdez-camp-says-franco-mabanta-s-peanut-gallery-twisting-narrative-on-arrest-1619">Romualdez camp says Franco Mabanta’s Peanut Gallery ‘twisting narrative’ on arrest </a></div><p>Atienza added that Romualdez is prepared to attend in the instance that the Court requires him to.</p><p>Atienza also encouraged Mabanta’s camp to refrain from posting on social media regarding the ongoing case.</p><p>“That goes for all, as lawyers and parties to the case, we are all enjoined and instructed then not to talk about the merits of the case before the media and social media,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/cyber-warrant-out-for-franco-mabanta-s-gadgets-nbi-1312">Cyber warrant out for Franco Mabanta’s gadgets: NBI</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/5/6/from-vj-to-media-executive-who-is-franco-mabanta-1557">From VJ to media executive: Who is Franco Mabanta? </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HfpV43rLwDc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BrOSzXiRePY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>PGMN founder Franco Mabanta and his legal counsel appeared before the Pasig Regional Trial Court on Thursday, May 21, for the arraignment of robbery-extortion and cybercrime charges filed by the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p>

PGMN founder Franco Mabanta and his legal counsel appeared before the Pasig Regional Trial Court on Thursday, May 21, for the arraignment of robbery-extortion and cybercrime charges filed by the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Franco Mabanta, associates appear in court over Romualdez extortion complaint

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Franco Mabanta, associates appear in court over Romualdez extortion complaint

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 21, 2026 01:24 PM PHT

Read More:

PGMN

Martin Romualdez

Robbery Extortion

Franco Mabanta

Peanut Gallery

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