The Palace denied allegations linking Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) founder Franco Mabanta to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. following Mabanta’s arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro presented printed photos showing Mabanta with former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte.
Mabanta, founder of PGMN, was arrested after allegedly attempting to extort P300 million from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in exchange for not releasing a video that supposedly linked him to corruption allegations.
Castro emphasized that Mabanta and President Bongbong Marcos are not friends. The statement came after reports claimed Mabanta previously played a role in Marcos’ political campaigns.
According to Castro, if any individual must be held accountable, Marcos wants the matter handled through due process.
When asked by the media about Mabanta’s relationship with the Duterte family, Castro said it would be better for them to answer questions regarding the matter themselves.
Castro also pointed out that many articles featured by PGMN were critical of the current administration.
The Palace statement came amid growing political controversy surrounding Mabanta’s arrest and alleged connections to several political figures.
