Mabanta, 4 others post bail

MANILA, Philippines — Social media operator Franco Mabanta and four others were freed from detention yesterday after each posted P120,000 in bail for the case involving an alleged extortion attempt on former speaker Martin Romualdez.

Presiding Judge Annielyn Medes-Cabelis of Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 167 ordered that Mabanta and his co-accused – John Alexander Gomez, Ericson James Pacaba, Jardine Serrano and Franco Jose Gallardo – be freed from the custodial facility of the National Bureau of Investigation in Muntinlupa.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed the issuance of the release order in a message to The STAR.

Mabanta, founder and chief executive officer of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), allegedly asked for P300 million from Romualdez in exchange for burying an incriminating video.

He was arrested in an NBI-led sting operation on Tuesday night.

Gomez and Pacaba, the PGMN co-founder and chief finance officer, respectively, along with employees Serrano and Gallardo were also arrested during the operation.

Defense lawyer Bernice Piñol-Rodriguez did not reveal details of the release, but said she is “always hoping for the dismissal of the case.”

After visiting her clients late on Friday, Rodriguez, a PGMN anchor herself, said the suspects were in very good condition.

“They’re in high spirits,” Rodriguez said. “I admire their strength. Their mental fortitude is something else, so we’re very happy about that.”

According to Matibag, some feelers, including a former congressman, had already approached the NBI to inform them of similar extortion attempts made by Mabanta.

Matibag said the NBI could conduct a forensic examination and investigate other extortion attempts once the court issues a cyber-warrant to access the suspects’ devices.

“There might be other personalities who might get involved,” Matibag said over radio dzMM.

The NBI has issued a subpoena to PGMN anchor CJ Hirro, who was originally dragged into the complaint filed by Romualdez’s camp, and asked her to come to its Pasay office on Monday.

Romualdez claimed that Hirro anchored a 90-minute video detailing his supposed corruption schemes during his time as House speaker.

The suspects allegedly sent a three-minute trailer to the ex-speaker’s camp during the two weeks they were negotiating on the price that Romualdez had to pay.

Matibag said the NBI has a copy of the trailer.