MANILA, Philippines — Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) founder Franco Mabanta appeared before the Pasig Regional Trial Court along with his legal counsel following the arraignment of a robbery-extortion case filed by the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Bernice Pinol-Rodriguez, Mabanata’s lawyer, did not disclose the plea entered during the hearing. The camp maintained that the charges, which they said attack press freedom, were politically motivated.

Meanwhile, Romualdez’s legal counsel, Elaine Atienza, who represented the case, did not provide details of the arraignment proceedings but expressed confidence in the strength of their lawsuit, adding that Romualdez is prepared to appear before the court if needed.

Romualdez filed a case against PGMN and four associates over the alleged extortion of P350 million, later reduced to P300 million, in exchange for not releasing allegations of corruption involving lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

On 5 May, Franco Mabanata and a co-accused were arrested in an ambush operation and were later released from the National Bureau of Investigation detention facility after posting bail worth P120,000 each on 9 May.