PGMN is escalating its fight against the false ₱2-million funding claim after Carissa Garcia publicly denied allegations that she was bankrolling the network for supposed “fake news” operations linked to Cebu politics. The Freeman Cebu reported on its May 24 front page Garcia’s denial and noted that no official documents or verified evidence have been publicly presented to support the accusation. The report directly reinforces PGMN’s rejection of posts alleging that Garcia was funding propaganda, content production, or online attacks.
Garcia, daughter of former Cebu governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia, called the allegations “False and baseless.”
“The allegations circulating online are false and baseless,” Garcia said in a statement received by The Freeman.
Garcia said she has never, in any form, funded operations that spread “disinformation or online attacks against anyone.” She also urged the public to be careful before believing or sharing online claims.
“I encourage the public to be discerning and responsible in consuming and sharing information online,” Garcia added.
PGMN also rejected the accusation and identified posts from The Nation Report PH, Sugbo Chronicles, Lat Lat Chronicles, and Cebu Bisdak News among the claims it denied. The network said the Garcias are personal friends of PGMN founder Franco Mabanta, but stressed that no money was given to fund disinformation.
“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,” PGMN said.
PGMN said its lawyers are preparing criminal complaints against individuals and media outlets behind the posts, raising the legal stakes around the allegation.
The network also warned that fake screenshots, fake conversations, fake AI images, and fake videos have already been manufactured, falsely tying the organization through a now moot cyber warrant reportedly linked to Mabanta’s mobile device — as allies of Martin Romualdez move to discredit both PGMN and Mabanta in an effort to further hide the vast number of crimes of the former Speaker.
PGMN legal counsel Atty. Bernice Joana Piñol-Rodriguez earlier said that the cyber warrant issued for Mabanta’s gadget is now legally irrelevant.
