NBI Cracks P300-M Extortion Plot: PGMN Founder Franco Mabanta, Four Others Arrested

NBI Cracks P300-M Extortion Plot: PGMN Founder Franco Mabanta, Four Others Arrested

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | May 7, 2026

PASAY CITY, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation – Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-OTCD) has apprehended Roberto Ma. Franco Cruz Mabanta, founder and chairman of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), along with four associates, in connection with an alleged P300 million extortion scheme. The arrests, made during a May 5, 2026, entrapment operation, also included charges under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. NBI investigations allege that Mabanta, in conspiracy with individuals including PGMN anchor “CJ Hirro,” threatened Romualdez with the release of online content purporting to link him to corruption within the House of Representatives.

Mabanta reportedly demanded PHP 300 million, payable in four tranches, to withhold the alleged exposé. A portion of the purported video material was sent to Romualdez’s intermediary to substantiate the threat.

Following an agreement for the initial PHP 75 million tranche, NBI-OTCD operatives initiated an entrapment. Mabanta met with undercover agents at The Manila Peninsula Hotel, where he reiterated his demand and instructed the delivery of the money to “Jimmy,” later identified as Jardine Christian Serrano, at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City.

Upon delivery, Serrano and Franco Jose Gallardo received the cash and brought it to a function room where Mabanta, Ericson James D. Pacaba, and John Alexander Vasquez Gomez were present. The NBI team then moved in, arresting all five. Seized during the operation were the entrapment money and mobile phones.

The arrested individuals underwent booking, documentation, and inquest proceedings at the NBI-OTCD.

NBI Director Atty. Melvin A. Matibag underscored the Bureau’s commitment to pursuing those who exploit online platforms for financial gain. “Freedom of expression is protected by law, but it must never be used as a shield for extortion or criminal exploitation,” Director Matibag stated. “The NBI will relentlessly pursue those who weaponize digital platforms to unlawfully profit from others.”

PGMN Responds: “Innocent. This was a setup.”

In a statement posted on the PGMN Facebook page, Franco Mabanta vehemently denied the allegations, calling the incident a “setup.” He asserted that PGMN had conducted “immense research on the national corruption of Martin Romualdez” during his tenure as House Speaker.

Mabanta claimed a 90-minute exposé, “packed with hard evidence,” was filmed weeks ago and is ready for release. He contended that the arrest was a desperate attempt by Romualdez to silence them due to the exposé’s timing and Romualdez’s “current troubles with the Ombudsman.”

“There was no extortion. There were ZERO threats from us,” Mabanta declared, dismissing the “evidence” as one-sided. He further alleged receiving warnings from “powerful close friends” about potential physical harm prior to the arrest. Mabanta stated he instructed his legal teams to publish the full exposé “on every major social media platform” if anything adverse were to happen to him or his colleagues.

Concluding his statement, Mabanta directly addressed Romualdez: “You know what you did to the country. We know what you did to the country. Soon, hopefully, everyone will too.”

Presidential Connections Denied Amidst Resurfacing Videos

The existence and content of the alleged exposé remain unconfirmed, raising questions about motivations and the timing of the arrests. Public discourse has also surfaced around Mabanta’s connections to the First Family, with online videos showing him socializing with them. However, Malacañang has denied any close relationship between Mabanta and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro presented photos of Mabanta with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, seemingly to clarify the presidential ties.

Despite Malacañang’s official denial, resurfaced videos show Mabanta in close proximity to the Marcoses. Malacañang reiterated on May 6, 2026, that “he is not a friend of the President,” even though Mabanta had claimed to be a strategist for the Marcos 2022 campaign and social media records show him claiming to work for the Marcos family since 2018. The unfolding investigation promises to shed further light on these complex and high-stakes allegations.