Palace on Mabanta arrest: 'Managot ang dapat managot'
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Malacañang said those involved in any wrongdoing must be held accountable following the arrest of social media personality Franco Mabanta and four others in an alleged extortion case linked to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a press briefing here, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration supports due process but stressed that those who commit crimes should answer for their actions.
“Ang nais naman po ng Pangulo sa lahat ng pagkakataon, managot ang dapat managot (What the President wants at all times is for those accountable to be held responsible),” she said Wednesday, May 6.
“Kung mayroon po silang dapat na panagutan, kung mayroon po silang ginawang krimen, dapat lamang po nila itong panagutan. Pero definitely, kailangan po ng due process sa lahat ng bagay (If they have liabilities, if they committed crimes, they should answer for them. But definitely, due process must prevail in all matters),” she added.
‘Not a friend of the President’
Castro also denied claims linking Mabanta to President Marcos, despite allegations that Mabanta had previously participated in online political campaigns supporting the President.
“Hindi po siya kaibigan ng Pangulo (He is not a friend of the President),” she said.
The Palace official instead pointed reporters to Mabanta’s supposed ties with the Duterte camp, even showing photos of him with former president Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque during the briefing.
When asked about Mabanta’s relationship with the Dutertes, Castro declined to elaborate and instead challenged reporters to ask him directly.
“Ay, kayo po ang magtanong sa kanya (You should ask him),” she said.
“Lalong-lalo na po, marami naman po yata siyang na-feature sa kanyang mga articles na halos ay kumakalaban sa administrasyon (Especially since many of his articles appeared to be against the administration),” she added.
Case not about free speech
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag has said that Mabanta’s arrest had nothing to do with freedom of expression or freedom of the press, but with alleged criminal activity.
Mabanta is the founder of online news platform Peanut Gallery Media Network.
According to the NBI, Mabanta and his group allegedly demanded P300 million in exchange for not airing a supposed documentary linking Romualdez to the flood control controversy.
Authorities said the alleged extortion attempt started last year and intensified in recent weeks, prompting the NBI to conduct an entrapment operation in Pasig City on Tuesday night.
Matibag said agents arrested Mabanta and four others after they allegedly accepted P75 million in marked money delivered in three suitcases.
All five suspects are facing robbery/extortion charges under the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.