MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no friendship or close ties with social media operator Franco Mabanta, who was arrested over allegations that he attempted to extort P350 million from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Palace press officer Claire Castro made the statement during a briefing in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, where she addressed questions about Mabanta’s reported past association with the Marcos family and political communications work.
Castro said the President and Mabanta “are not friends” and did not directly confirm whether Mabanta had worked for Marcos in any official capacity. She instead presented photos from Mabanta’s social media account showing him with former President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, and their allies.
“Maybe you should ask what is his relationship with the Dutertes,” Castro said when asked about Mabanta’s political connections.
She also said Mabanta’s media network had published content critical of the Marcos administration.
Franco Mabanta, a self-described political strategist and social media operator, was arrested Tuesday in connection with an alleged attempt to extort P350 million from Romualdez, a cousin of the President. Authorities have not publicly detailed all circumstances of the arrest.
Mabanta’s online activity shows prior engagement with both Marcos and Duterte-aligned political figures. In earlier posts, he identified himself as having worked with the Marcos family on social media strategy beginning in 2018 and later referred to President Marcos as “Tito Bonget” in a 2019 post.
He also posted support for former President Duterte and his administration during the same period and appeared in photos with political figures from both camps.
By 2024, Mabanta launched Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), a digital platform that describes itself as independent. The network features commentary from several political personalities, including former officials and media figures.
Castro did not provide further details on Mabanta’s current or past employment status with the Marcos administration.
Authorities have not released additional information on the extortion allegations, and Mabanta has not publicly responded through legal counsel as of Wednesday.
