The legal team of Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has dismissed claims that the arrest of social media personality Franco Mabanta is an attack on press freedom, asserting that the matter is a straightforward criminal case of extortion.
Attorney Elaine Atienza, spokesperson for Romualdez, accused the Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) of attempting to manipulate the public perception of the incident.
“PGMN is twisting the narrative,” Atienza stated. “Ang isyu dito ay hindi tungkol sa malayang pamamahayag. Lalong hindi ito tungkol sa karapatan ng sinuman na punahin ang gobyerno. Ang tunay na tanong: May humingi ba ng pera kapalit ng katahimikan?”
According to Atienza, Romualdez approached the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) only after being targeted by an alleged shakedown. She maintained that the lawmaker followed proper legal protocols by reporting the incident to authorities, leading to the NBI’s subsequent entrapment operation.
The NBI reported that Mabanta and four associates were apprehended after allegedly demanding ₱350 million to suppress a documentary linking Romualdez to anomalies in flood control projects. The agency noted that the payoff was structured in four tranches and that suitcases of marked money were used during the arrest.
Atienza argued that having “exposés” does not grant anyone immunity from criminal charges if those materials are used for leverage rather than public information.
“If anyone believes he has evidence of wrongdoing by public officials, the proper course is simple: Release it, submit it to the authorities, and let the proper institutions act on it—not use it as leverage in exchange for money,” she said.
The spokesperson further alleged that PGMN had the video ready for weeks but withheld it, which she claims proves the intent was not journalistic.
“That is what PGMN did: They purportedly produced a video that was allegedly ready to run several weeks ago and yet chose not to release it. That is not journalism, that is extortion,” Atienza remarked.
Warning that such actions damage the credibility of legitimate media, Atienza concluded that the case would be settled by evidence in court rather than social media debates.
“Simple lang po ito: Sa demokrasya, malayang pumuna. Pero malinaw po sa ating batas: Isang krimen ang pangingikil,” she added.