MACTAN, CEBU — Malacanang Palace on Wednesday denied that the arrested Social media personality and political content creator, Franco Mabanta, is related or has any relation at all with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid information that Mabanta worked with Marcos during his presidential campaign in 2022.

“Hindi po siya kaibigan ng Pangulo pero siguro mas nanaisin ko po kung ito po ang inyong itatanong dahil ito po ay mismong pinost ni Franco Mabanta – baka ito po ang itanong ninyo kung ano po ang relasyon niya sa mga Duterte. Nandiyan pa nga po si Harry Roque,” said Palace press officer, Undersecretary Claire Castro, in a press briefing here, while showing a photograph of Mabanta with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Castro said Mabanta has featured various articles on his social media pages that are against the Marcos administration.

According to a report of Rolling Stone Philippines, Mabanta, who was arrested on Tuesday night by the National Bureau of Investigation for allegedly attempting extortion of P300 million involving House Speaker Martin Romualdez, served as President Marcos’s social media strategist before his presidency began in 2022.”

However, Castro said Mabanta’s case must undergo due process.

“Ang nais naman po ng Pangulo sa lahat ng pagkakataon managot ang dapat na managot. Kung mayroon po siyang 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,” she said.