They were arrested during an entrapment operation.
On Tuesday (May 5), the The National Bureau of Investigation – Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-OTCD) arrested five individuals during an entrapment operation that it conducted.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by former House Speaker Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez against Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) founder and chairman Franco Mabanta, who allegedly conspired with several individuals, including one of the network’s anchors identified as “CJ Hirro,” as per the bureau.
According to the NBI, its investigation disclosed that Mabanta allegedly threatened the Romualdez through an intermediary.
It was said that they will release an online content purportedly linking Representative Romualdez to flood control corruption case. In exchange for withholding the publication of the alleged exposé, Mabanta allegedly demanded PHP 300 million, which can be paid in four tranches of PHP 75 million.
“A portion of the purported video material was allegedly sent to lend credence to the threat,” said the NBI in its press release.
ENTRAPMENT OPERATION
The NBI-OTCD operatives then conducted an entrapment operation after arrangements were made for the delivery of the first tranche amounting to PHP 75 millon
At around 5:30 pm, Mabanta met with undercover agents posing as representatives of the complainant at The Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.
During the meeting, Mabanta allegedly reiterated his demand and instructed the agents to deliver the money at Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City to a certain “Jimmy,” later identified by the NBI as a certain Jardine Christian Serrano.
Upon delivery of the entrapment money, Serrano and Franco Jose Gallardo received the cash and brought it to a function room inside the club, where Mabanta and two other individuals — Ericson James Pacaba and John Alexander Vasquez Gomez — were waiting.
The arresting team were then able to nab Mabanta, Pacaba, Gomez, Serrano, and Gallardo in the said operation, where the entrapment money and mobile phones allegedly used in coordinating the transaction were recovered.
The arrested individuals, as of Wednesday afternoon (May 6) are under the custody of NBI-OTCD for booking, documentation, and inquest proceedings as they are facing raps for alleged Robbery (Extortion), in relation to Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).
NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag emphasized, “Freedom of expression is protected by law, but it must never be used as a shield for extortion, intimidation, or criminal exploitation.”
“The NBI will relentlessly pursue those who weaponize digital platforms to threaten, harass, and unlawfully profit from others,” Director Matibag added.
MABANTA: THIS WAS A SETUP
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on its Facebook page, Peanut Gallery Media Network relayed the official statement of its chief.
“We are innocent. This was a setup,” said Franco Mabanta. “Over the last five months, PGMN completed immense, comprehensive, painful research on the breathtaking national corruption of Martin Romualdez while he was Speaker of the House. What we have is devastating.”
“The episode was filmed several weeks ago. It has been fully edited — it is 90 minutes-long, packed with hard evidence, and ready for release,” he continued.
Mabanta’s camp also claimed that the exposé is the reason why they were subjected to such and maintained that there were no threats to Romualdez from their side.
“The ‘evidence’ provided showed one side of the story. We committed NO CRIME: AND WE CAN PROVE IT.”
Mabanta also said that PGMN has taken “profound and sincere pride” in going after who it called as “bad guys.”
“If this is the price to pay to do what’s right, then so be it. I want my five-year-old and two-year-old sons to look back at these decisions when they’re older and see the kind of man their dad was,” he added.