Martin Romualdez has been jailed. And Peanut Gallery Media Network has triumphed in its war against the master plunderer in historic fashion.
PGMN’s war against the once-all-powerful former House Speaker culminated in his jailing at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas—a landmark victory capped by a record-shattering anti-corruption drive: 12 weeks, 2,218 posts, and a staggering 261.5 million views, making it the most viral campaign ever mounted against a single Filipino.
Since June 20, PGMN has sustained relentless coverage of Romualdez’s corruption, producing reports, long-form videos, shorts and reels, explainers, graphics, infographics, articles, quote cards, commentaries, public records, and legal updates across all five major platforms at speed and efficiency that has quite literally never been done before.
At the center of this coverage is Romualdez, branded the mastermind of ₱56 billion in plunder, kickbacks, and shady transactions tied to ghost flood‑control projects—alongside complaints of plunder, bribery, graft violations, money laundering, and defrauding the national treasury.
That corruption drowned communities, destroyed homes, and claimed lives. But thanks to the Ombudsman’s relentless pursuit and the filing of the first of many plunder cases, Romualdez has finally seen the inside of a jail cell.
The war has carried heavy costs for PGMN. Romualdez filed more than 80 lawsuits against Founder and CEO Franco Mabanta, Lead Anchor CJ Hirro, and others connected to the coverage—desperate attempts to exhaust, intimidate, and silence the network.
Mabanta himself endured four days in NBI detention and two days in Bilibid Prison before being released on bail in May over a crime he did not commit. He returned to work immediately, leading a young but inspired workforce in exposing one of the country’s most powerful men.
Yet after 12 weeks, 2,218 posts, 261.5 million views, more than 80 lawsuits, four days in NBI detention, two days in Bilibid, and countless threats, one number remains unchanged for PGMN: Zero fear.
The network remains steadfast in its mission—committed to continuing coverage until Romualdez confronts the full weight of his crimes, accountability is demanded, and justice is finally and fully served.
