The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has secured legal authority to access the electronic devices of social media personality Franco Mabanta and his companions as part of an ongoing extortion investigation, officials announced.
NBI director Melvin Matibag said that a court granted the agency’s request for a cyber warrant, which authorizes investigators to open and examine the gadgets seized from Mabanta and his co-respondents.
“That means we can now open Franco Mabanta’s phone and legally, we can obtain information, videos, pictures, text messages, text logs, everything,” Matibag said.
The warrant will allow authorities to review communications, call records, photos, and videos stored on the devices.
Matibag explained that the data will help determine whether Mabanta and his associates coordinated with other individuals regarding the alleged scheme.
“If there are rumors that this person or that person was contacted, we will have definite answers based on the communications, call logs, videos, and pictures we find on the phones of Franco Mabanta and his companions,” Matibag added.
The NBI previously disclosed that investigators are checking whether there are other victims or targets of alleged blackmail linked to Mabanta’s Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN).
Mabanta and four others were arrested in an entrapment operation following a complaint accusing them of attempting to extort P300 million from lawmaker Martin Romualdez.
The suspects allegedly demanded the money in exchange for suppressing a supposedly damaging video involving the legislator.
Mabanta has denied the accusations, maintaining that he and his companions were framed. The social media personality and his co-accused have since posted bail pending further legal proceedings.
