PGMN Founder Franco Mabanta Arrested in Alleged Extortion Plot Targeting Martin Romualdez
The National Bureau of Investigation arrested social media strategist Franco Mabanta and four other men on May 5, 2026, in Pasig City. Authorities said Mabanta demanded P300 million from Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez in exchange for not publishing video content linking him to corruption in the House of Representatives.
manilatimes.netThe National Bureau of Investigation arrested Peanut Gallery Media Network founder Franco Mabanta and four other men on May 5, 2026, in Pasig City for their alleged involvement in an extortion scheme targeting Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez.
Authorities said Mabanta demanded P300 million from the former House speaker in exchange for withholding online video content that linked Romualdez to corruption in the lower house. A portion of the purported video material was allegedly sent to support the threat, the National Bureau of Investigation reported in a press release on May 6.
Romualdez filed a complaint with the agency after receiving the demand. The National Bureau of Investigation then arranged an entrapment operation involving the delivery of the first tranche of P75 million. At around 5:30 p.m.
on May 5, Mabanta met with undercover agents posing as representatives of Romualdez at The Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. " "Jimmy" was later identified as Jardine Christian Serrano. Serrano and Franco Jose Gallardo received the cash and brought it to a function room inside the club, where Mabanta and two other individuals — Ericson James D.
Pacaba and John Alexander Vasquez Gomez — were waiting, according to the National Bureau of Investigation. All five men were arrested during the operation. Agents recovered the entrapment money and mobile phones allegedly used to coordinate the transaction.
He has also expressed support for former president Rodrigo Duterte as early as 2016. " He added that he had received private warnings about risks to their safety and had instructed his legal team to publish the material if anything happened to them.
"If this is the price to pay to do what's right, then so be it," Mabanta said in the statement. As of May 6, the five men remained in National Bureau of Investigation custody for booking, documentation, and inquest proceedings. , Palace Press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro stated in a May 6 briefing in Cebu that they are not friends.
Castro presented photos showing Mabanta's engagements with Duterte.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
4 events- May 5, 2026
Mabanta met undercover agents at The Manila Peninsula Hotel and directed delivery of P75 million to Pasig City.
1 sourceRappler - May 5, 2026
Five men including Mabanta were arrested in an entrapment operation at Valle Verde Country Club.
1 sourceRappler - May 6, 2026
The National Bureau of Investigation issued a press release detailing the alleged P300 million extortion demand.
1 sourceRappler - May 6, 2026
Mabanta issued a statement denying the charges and calling the arrest a setup.
1 sourceRappler
Potential Impact
- 01
The five arrested men remain in National Bureau of Investigation custody pending inquest proceedings.
- 02
Mabanta's statement indicates the disputed video material may still be released by his associates.
- 03
The case may prompt further scrutiny of social media influencers involved in Philippine political coverage.
- 04
Law enforcement has signaled it will investigate similar uses of digital platforms for financial demands.
Transparency Panel
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