CJ Hirro lawyer appears at NBI, denies she is in hiding

The lawyer of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) anchor CJ Hirro on Monday denied claims that she is in hiding following the issuance of a subpoena against her in relation to the alleged extortion try of Franco Mabanta on former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Hindi totoo ‘yun. Hindi siya nagtatago. Wala siyang dapat ikatakot. Kaya nga ako niya pinapunta dito para i-represent siya. In good faith siya na pumunta dito sa NBI,” Lawyer Lian Marco Cacapit said in an ambush interview.

(That is not true. She is not hiding. She has nothing to fear. That is why she sent me here to represent him. She came here to the NBI in good faith.)

Cacapit personally appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in compliance to a subpoena issued to Hirro.

Last week, the NBI arrested Mabanta in an entrapment operation after an alleged extortion try on former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Mabanta allegedly claimed he possesses videos implicating Romualdez in the flood control scandal. He allegedly pressed Romualdez to pay P350 million or else he will release the said videos via PGMN. Mabanta has denied the allegations.

Due to her apperance in the videos, the NBI tagged Hirro as a "person of interest" in the alleged extortion try on Romualdez.

“Naka secure na ko ng copy nung subpoena and I’ll report the same to my client,” he said.

(I have already secured a copy of the subpoena and I’ll report the same to my client.)

Meanwhile, the lawyer said Hirro is currently out of town.

When asked if Hirro has plans to personally before the bureau, he said he will discuss it with his client.

“Ang importante malabas natin ‘yung totoo and matulungan natin ‘yung NBI,” Cacapit said.

(What is important is for the truth to come out and for us to help the NBI.) — RSJ, GMA News