GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
EXPLAINER: Who is Franco Mabanta?
Social media personality and political content creator Franco Mabanta has come under public scrutiny following his arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), along with four others, over an alleged extortion attempt involving House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The NBI earlier said Mabanta and his companions were apprehended in an entrapment operation linked to the alleged scheme targeting Romualdez.
Mabanta has denied the allegation, saying that he and his team were set up to “silence” the media network and prevent it from releasing a video documentary supposedly detailing the alleged corrupt activities of Romualdez.
The arrest quickly drew attention online, prompting many to ask: Who is Franco Mabanta?
Former political campaign figure
Mabanta is a Filipino digital strategist, social media personality, and political commentator who rose to prominence due to his involvement in online political campaigns supporting President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
He has been widely identified in online and media reports as a former social media director or digital campaign figure linked to Marcos’ presidential bid.
In a 2019 Facebook post, Mabanta wrote about what he described as “warm memories and awesome anecdotes” from his involvement in the Marcos political campaign.
“Being a strategist and the chief social media director for the Marcoses was unlike anything I had experienced in my life—not so much because theirs is indisputably the most crucial last name in Philippine history, but more because I was working for a proper human being, a truly good person,” he said.
However, at a press briefing in Cebu on Wednesday, Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro distanced President Marcos from Mabanta.
“He is not a friend of the President,” Castro said, adding that questions about Mabanta’s political ties may be better directed to the social media personality himself.
Castro also suggested looking into Mabanta’s alleged links with the Duterte camp, noting that some of his published content has been critical of the Marcos administration.
“You may want to ask him about his relationship with the Dutertes. In many of his articles, he has featured content that tends to go against the administration,” she said.
Early years
Before becoming known in political media circles, Mabanta was a video jockey for music channel MYX in the early 2000s.
Over the years, Mabanta has built a following across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms through political commentary, livestreams, and discussions on national issues.
Outside media and politics, Mabanta has also publicly identified himself as a cousin of singer-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, a former executive of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. In an earlier social media post, Mabanta referred to Bondoc as his “cousin and good friend.”
Mabanta’s social media footprint also suggests proximity to key political figures even before the current controversy.
A post on his public Instagram account shows him with former president Rodrigo Duterte, while other posts from late 2021 place him alongside personalities associated with the emerging Marcos-Duterte alliance ahead of the 2022 elections.
One December 2021 post, captioned “Merry Christmas from all your current and future leaders,” shows Mabanta with several political figures linked to the then-forming UniTeam coalition.
Mabanta is also known as one of the founders of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), a digital media platform launched in 2024 that produces political commentary and online content.
Based on publicly available information, PGMN positions itself as an independent media network focused on politics, governance, and social issues.
The platform features several hosts and commentators discussing current events and national controversies, and primarily operates through social media channels including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Mabanta remains active online, regularly posting political opinions, interviews, and commentary videos. His Instagram account describes him as being involved in PGMN and media production.
Legal, public controversies
In 2017, blogger Jover Laurio filed a libel complaint against Mabanta over Facebook posts that included derogatory remarks. The complaint was eventually dismissed for lack of probable cause by the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office in 2018.
Mabanta has also drawn public criticism in previous years over statements on social issues, including remarks supporting “fat-shaming” and a 2020 social media post that was flagged for inaccurately describing COVID-19 as the first pandemic “in a century.”—MCG, GMA News
