Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has once again dragged Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) to court, this time crying foul and insisting he was the victim of mockery over his physical appearance.
In his affidavit, Romualdez wailed that thousands of social media comments — which he insists were fueled by PGMN’s reporting — now “mock my appearance, call me a thief and a ‘buwaya,’ and celebrate what they believe is my impending imprisonment.”
Romualdez didn’t clarify whether the ridicule was about his clearly visible frailty or his increasingly haggard face as corruption cases pile up against him. Instead, he lamented that PGMN’s videos and posts repeatedly portrayed him as “the most corrupt politician of the 21st century,” a “plunderer,” “Looter King,” and the mastermind of a corruption scandal.
He argued that these portrayals, combined with the mockery of his looks, were presented as fact rather than allegation — even though the Ombudsman itself already identified him as the mastermind.
The latest filing marks the 79th lawsuit Romualdez has lodged against the network. PGMN has maintained that its coverage of Romualdez is rooted in matters of vital public interest involving a powerful public official, and that the former House Speaker’s endless lawsuits are nothing more than an attempt to muzzle criticism. The network vowed to continue reporting despite his legal tantrums.
Since launching its campaign against Romualdez, PGMN’s expose content on the former Speaker has become one of the most viral corruption takedowns in Philippine history, amassing over 100 million views and keeping national attention locked on his corruption.
During his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Bongbong Marcos referenced the Ombudsman’s announcement that cases against Romualdez would soon be filed — a signal that PGMN’s relentless campaign to keep the spotlight on the former Speaker’s corruption is entering its final chapter.
Corruption has always been the Philippines’ greatest plague. Romualdez is broadly recognized as the most corrupt Filipino of the 21st century.
