Social media personality Franco Mabanta and four co-accused were released from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Detention Facility on Saturday, May 9, after the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167 approved their temporary liberty.
The court set bail at ₱120,000 each following their arrest in a May 5 entrapment operation. The group faces charges of robbery extortion for allegedly demanding ₱300 million from former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez. The payment was purportedly in exchange for suppressing a video related to the ongoing flood control controversy.
Despite the heavy allegations, defense counsel Atty. Bernice Piñol-Rodriguez maintained her clients’ innocence, slamming the “public trial” the group has faced online.
“And again, my clients are innocent. There was no crime. There was no extortion. And they are being unfairly judged now by the public. But again, social media is not the battleground here. We’re going to keep fighting legally,” Rodriguez said.
The legal team expressed high confidence that the case would ultimately be dismissed once the facts are fully ventilated in court.
“Today, they’re walking away free under their constitutional right to bail. And hopefully, very soon, they’ll walk away vindicated. Vindicated from all the publicity, the public trial that they’ve been subjected to,” the lawyer added.
Family members, including Franco’s father, Roger Mabanta, and his twin brother, Fr. Francisco Mabanta, visited the facility prior to the release.
The elder Mabanta admitted to having past disagreements with his son but voiced firm belief in his integrity regarding the criminal charges.
“As I said he has his own defense. I am the father. I have to support him… He’s not a perfect guy but I don’t think he will do that. I had disagreements with him but I don’t think he’s… well he told me the facts,” Roger Mabanta stated.
Fr. Mabanta shared that he provided spiritual guidance to his brother, encouraging him to stay optimistic despite the legal “ups and downs.”