NBI ARRESTS SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY FRANCO MABANTA OVER P350 MILLION EXTORTION PLOT

Social media personality and vlogger Franco Mabanta was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday, May 5, for his alleged involvement in a ₱350 million extortion plot targeting former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The arrest stemmed from an investigation into an alleged plot to blackmail Romualdez over issues linked to a flood control project.

Authorities stated that the group demanded the multimillion-peso sum in exchange for suppressing videos they claimed linked the former Speaker to the project.

Four other individuals were also taken into custody during the operation.

According to NBI investigators, the group eventually reduced their demand to ₱300 million, to be paid in four separate installments of ₱75 million each.

Reports indicate that an initial payment of ₱75 million was provided upfront before the arrest.

Mabanta denied all allegations regarding the extortion scheme and declined to provide a detailed statement to investigators, noting that he intends to consult with his lawyers first.

Mabanta is widely known as the founder of the Peanut Gallery Media Network, a digital media outlet platform known for featuring political commentaries and content across various social media channels, most notably on YouTube.

The NBI is currently processing the other four individuals arrested alongside Mabanta as the investigation into the extortion case continues.