The Marcos administration distanced itself further from arrested social media personality Franco Mabanta on Friday, with Malacañang disclosing that his work for the President lasted roughly half a year — and ended well before the 2022 presidential race.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the brief engagement, which took place in 2018, concluded because those involved were not satisfied with Mabanta’s approach.
“Sa aking pagkakaalam—ito lamang po ang naibigay sa akin—parang tumagal lamang po siya ng six months? Mga six months po dahil according to them, sa nagbigay sa akin ng info, medyo hindi nagustuhan ‘yung style,” Castro told reporters on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit.
Given the timeline, Castro said it was unlikely that Mabanta had any involvement in the President’s 2022 campaign.
Castro also pushed back against suggestions of a continuing relationship between Mabanta and Marcos, challenging critics to produce recent photographs of the two together — particularly from Mabanta’s own wedding, which she said was attended by figures associated with the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Kailan ba yung sinasabi nila—2018. Wala namang nagde-deny na naging social media director ng Pangulo itong si Franco Mabanta. But we’re talking of now,” Castro said.
“So china-challenge ko rin, bigyan niya ako ng larawan na magkasama si Franco Mabanta at ang Pangulong Marcos Jr.—lalong-lalo na sa kanyang wedding kung saan ang mga kasamahan niya ay parang nagagawi sa tinatawag na DDS,” she added.
Mabanta was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation following an alleged extortion attempt against Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Marcos. He allegedly threatened to release videos linking Romualdez to a flood control scandal unless paid P350 million, and was taken into custody after purportedly accepting P300 million in marked money. Mabanta and his media outfit, Peanut Gallery Media Network, have denied the allegations and called the case politically motivated.
When asked whether Marcos and Mabanta remain in contact, Castro said she had no information to confirm or deny it, adding that Mabanta’s decision to post an open letter to the President — rather than speak to him privately — raised its own questions about how close they actually were.
“Wala po tayong alam sa ngayon dahil walang naibibigay sa akin na impormasyon kung sila man po ay nagkakausap. Kasi meron naman siyang open letter, itong si Franco Mabanta, na nai-post. So, kung sila’y close ngayon, eh bakit open letter? ‘Di ba dapat personal siyang nakikipag-usap?” Castro said.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had earlier questioned Castro’s characterization of the relationship, asking whether Marcos and Mabanta were “strangers with memories.” Castro’s photo challenge was a direct response to that remark.
