Franco Mabanta is a Filipino media personality, digital strategist, and entrepreneur who has transitioned from a mainstream entertainment background to a high-profile, often controversial role in political digital operations. Born on March 22, 1983, in Manila, he first entered the public eye in the early 2000s as a video jockey (VJ) for the music channel MYX, where he worked alongside other emerging celebrities like Heart Evangelista and Geoff Eigenmann.
Mabanta identified singer and former PAGCOR official Atty. Jimmy Bondoc as his cousin.
Throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s, Mabanta’s career pivoted toward political strategy and social media management. He gained significant prominence as a digital strategist for Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the 2022 Philippine national elections. Known for a confrontational and “free speech absolutist” communication style, he leveraged platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to build a massive following while frequently engaging in public disputes over topics such as body positivity and environmental activism. Following the 2022 elections, he founded the Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) in 2024, serving as its CEO. The network was positioned as an alternative media outlet focusing on governance and social issues, featuring various high-profile hosts and digital commentators. Since then, the network has attracted a diverse roster of personalities and hosts, including veteran actor Edu Manzano, tech executive Ann Cuisia, former government official Greco Belgica, and legal commentator Atty. Regal Oliva, who has recently defended the network’s editorial independence.
As of May 2026, Mabanta has become the center of a major legal controversy. On May 5, 2026, he and four associates were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation. Authorities allege that Mabanta attempted to extort between ₱300 million and ₱350 million from Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez. The NBI claims the money was demanded in exchange for withholding video content that PGMN allegedly planned to release linking the lawmaker to corruption. Mabanta has denied the charges, asserting that his network was engaged in legitimate investigative journalism and that the arrest was a setup.