A court has fixed the bail amount at ₱120,000 each for social media personality Franco Mabanta and his co-accused following an alleged multi-million peso extortion attempt against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Attorney Bernice Rodriguez, counsel for the accused, confirmed the bail amount during a media briefing on Friday.
“The bail that was pegged was 120,000 per person,” lawyer Bernice Rodriguez said in an ambush interview with reporters.
Mabanta and four others were apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation.
Authorities allege the group demanded ₱350 million from Romualdez to suppress a 90-minute video exposé that purportedly links the former Speaker and former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Representative Zaldy Co to irregularities in flood control projects.
Mabanta has dismissed the charges, claiming the arrest was a “setup” designed to muffle his media organization. Despite the gravity of the legal battle, Rodriguez noted that her clients are handling the situation with resilience.
“They’re in high spirits. I admire their strength. Yung mental fortitude nila is something else,” she said.
The legal team expressed confidence as they finalize their formal response to the allegations.
“We’re just going through everything and we are very optimistic still,” she added.
While Rodriguez opted not to confirm if a formal bail order had been signed or if the group would be released by Friday evening, she maintained that the defense remains prepared for the upcoming proceedings.