Many netizens on Monday said a controversial Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) episode targeting former House Speaker Martin Romualdez fell short of delivering the “explosive” evidence teased online ahead of its release, despite weeks of buildup surrounding the controversy involving PGMN founder Franco Mabanta.
Amid the backlash, PGMN anchor CJ Hirro said she was “safe” and “very much alive” after being identified as a person of interest in the issue.
In a Facebook post, Hirro said she was “somewhere safe” but claimed she did not know why she had been dragged into the controversy.
“Days ago, our team was given clear instructions on what we are to do in case anything happens to Franco Mabanta or anyone in our team,” Hirro wrote.
“I did not know what that was about, but the instructions to me were these: one, secure your family and protect the truth. Second, make sure this episode gets out there still,” she added.
The post included a link to a YouTube video uploaded by PGMN.
Hirro said the video — which she claimed was “not worth P350 million” — formed part of a PGMN episode released shortly after midnight Monday.
Extortion
The video alleged irregularities involving Romualdez and discussed Mabanta, who has been linked to alleged extortion claims.
Mabanta was earlier arrested by authorities in an entrapment operation following allegations that he demanded millions of pesos in exchange for allegedly stopping the release of damaging materials involving Romualdez.
The National Bureau of Investigation said the operation stemmed from complaints accusing Mabanta of extortion and grave coercion.
His camp, however, denied the allegations and claimed he was set up because of PGMN’s critical coverage and planned exposés involving political figures.
The incident triggered online debate over whether the case was a legitimate criminal complaint or part of a broader effort to silence critics and independent online media personalities linked to anti-administration content.
According to the video, Mabanta was “repeatedly approached, courted for two weeks, consistently lied to, and ultimately conned to make it look like extortion.”
‘Floodgate’
In the video description, PGMN accused Romualdez of attempting to suppress the episode.
“We will give Romualdez what he is afraid of,” the post stated, using the hashtag #MartinLooterFund.
The description also claimed the episode contained the story the former House speaker “wanted to kill.”
The controversy unfolded alongside renewed attention on the so-called “Floodgate” scandal, which involved allegations of questionable flood-control spending, politically connected contractors, and infrastructure anomalies repeatedly raised by administration critics and opposition figures.
No court has yet ruled on the allegations.