That Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) Founder and Chief Executive Officer Franco Mabanta’s blackmail video linking former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to the flood control scandal was merely an “assumption,” said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Atty. Melvin Matibag during a Wednesday press conference.
Speaking to DZRH, Matibag said the agency has yet to confirm whether the said video actually connects the former speaker to infrastructure anomalies, as they have not received a copy of the video.
The bureau director said they would be applying for a cyber warrant for authorization to access the contents of PGMN’s devices, but he questioned why the media’s attention was on the video and not the allegations of extortion.
The NBI is currently investigating whether Romualdez was the only official targeted by Mabanta and his accomplices, and whether they had ever been successful.
Among those under NBI custody aside from Mabanta are a director, a finance officer or accountant, and two others. All are facing extortion charges in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
According to the NBI, the suspects were caught in an entrapment operation in Pasig City yesterday evening. Operatives had brought ₱75 million in marked cash for an initial payment.
This amount, the agency said, is only part of the ₱300 million demanded by Mabanta’s group. Originally, they meant to forcibly collect a total of ₱350 million. Their instructions were to have the money split into four payments of ₱75 million each.
The operation stemmed from an extortion complaint from Romualdez’s camp that had supposedly started in 2025 but was revived in the last two weeks.
“Based on the complaint, mayroon nang initial talks since a year ago, pero nabuhay lang siya ulit, with respect to a representative of the complainant. Through (the representative), lumaki na ‘yung amount. Kasi one year ago, mababa lang ‘yung amount. Pero through (the representative), it ballooned to ₱350 million… Ang final demand is ₱300 million until umabot po tayo sa entrapment kahapon,” the agency said during a press conference.
The bureau added that Mabanta’s group allegedly sent Romualdez a “teaser” clip from a video they were threatening to release as blackmail. The group said they would release the first part of the video if Romualdez refused to give the money.
The suspects will be undergoing inquest proceedings on Wednesday.
'WE'RE INNOCENT'
Meanwhile, Mabanta insisted he was innocent and that there was no truth in the claim that they had attempted to extort money from the former speaker, he told DZRH in a brief response.
“We’re innocent, it’s not true,” Mabanta said.
On Tuesday evening, Mabanta was apprehended at the Valle Verde Country Club. Operatives found he possessed marked money.
Mabanta’s video allegedly links Romualdez to a flood control scandal.
