Peanut Gallery Media Network said its lawyers are preparing to file criminal cases against individuals and media outlets behind online posts alleging that the network received money to spread fake news.
The network denied posts from The Nation Report PH claiming that Carissa Garcia, daughter of former Cebu governor Gwen Garcia, was allegedly giving PGMN ₱2 million monthly for supposed social media propaganda and fake news operations linked to Cebu politics.
In a statement, PGMN denied receiving any funding from the Garcias and rejected claims made by pages Sugbo Chronicles and Lat Lat Chronicles.
“These are NOT TRUE. The Garcias are Franco Mabanta’s real friends, but there was absolutely no money given by them to spread fake news. THAT IS A LIE,” the network said, while also describing the posts as “ALL FAKE.”
PGMN said the supposed cyber warrant against Mabanta’s mobile device could be used to manufacture fake material against the network. It warned that items such as “screenshots of fake conversations, fake AI images, fake videos” could later be fabricated through the warrant.
PGMN legal counsel Atty. Bernice Joana Piñol-Rodriguez earlier said the defense has not received any cyber warrant, court order or similar authorization. She also cautioned that any alleged material from the defendants’ phones should be treated carefully unless backed by proper court documents.
The network described the controversy as part of what it called the persecution of free media pursuing corruption, while maintaining that it was being framed by flood control corruption mastermind Martin Romualdez in a fake extortion case.
