A Pasig Regional Trial Court has granted the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) the authority to open the digital devices of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) founder Franco Mabanta and his associates, the bureau announced Tuesday.
The development follows Mabanta’s arrest earlier this month over an alleged ₱350-million extortion attempt targeting former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez.
Cyber Warrant Secured
During a press briefing, NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that the bureau had successfully secured the necessary judicial clearance to conduct a forensic examination of the seized electronics.
”The cyber warrant doon po kay Franco Mabanta has been approved by the Regional Trial Court of Pasig. So the NBI is now authorized to open the gadgets of Franco Mabanta and his associates,” Matibag stated.
”The cyber warrant for Franco Mabanta has been approved by the Regional Trial Court of Pasig. So the NBI is now authorized to open the gadgets of Franco Mabanta and his associates,” Matibag stated.
The NBI chief emphasized that the digital audit aims to uncover the network of individuals linked to the alleged extortion plot.
”Makikita po natin sino po ‘yung mga kinausap niya; who are the personalities na nakausap ni Franco Mabanta,” he added.
”We will be able to see who he was talking to; who are the personalities that Franco Mabanta was able to talk to,” he added.
Alleged ₱350-Million Blackmail
Mabanta was apprehended by NBI agents during a high-profile entrapment operation in early May.
According to the bureau, the PGMN founder claimed to possess compromising video footage implicating Romualdez in a multi-billion peso flood control corruption scandal. Mabanta allegedly demanded a ₱350 million payout from the lawmaker, threatening to broadcast the footage across PGMN’s media platforms if the demand was not met.
Mabanta and his media network have strongly vehemently denied the extortion charges. PGMN quickly dismissed the arrest, labeling the entire law enforcement operation as a “setup.”
On May 9, Mabanta and four of his companions were released from NBI custody after successfully posting bail. The forensic extraction of data from the seized gadgets is expected to form a critical part of the prosecution’s building case.