NBI subpoenas PGMN’s CJ Hirro over alleged Romualdez extortion case
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has issued a subpoena for Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) anchor CJ Hirro over the alleged attempt to extort some P350 million from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed this to the INQUIRER on Friday.
The subpoena was issued after the NBI arrested PGMN founder Franco Mabanta and four others on Tuesday evening over Romualdez’s complaint alleging they tried to extort up to P350 million from him in exchange for not releasing an alleged “exposé video” that would supposedly link him to corruption in the House of Representatives.
Mabanta and the four others are currently under NBI detention in building 14 at the Bureau of Corrections in Muntinlupa City.
READ: Socmed personality Franco Mabanta nabbed for Martin Romualdez extort try
In a Viber message, Matibag said Hirro is expected to appear before the NBI headquarters in Pasay City on Monday, May 11.
On Thursday, Matibag said the NBI is considering Hirro a person of interest since she was mentioned in the complaint affidavit.
“She’s a person of interest because she’s there in our complainant’s affidavit,” Matibag told reporters.
“The video clip used, she’s the one who’s there,” the NBI also said when recently asked about Hirro’s participation in the case.
READ: NBI: PGMN’s CJ Hirro person of interest in Romualdez ‘extortion’ case
Matibag said the NBI is also looking into the participation of other individuals from the PGMN who may also be involved in the case.
Hirro’s social media accounts remain deactivated, as of posting time.
READ: Matibag: NBI checking for other victims of Mabanta
But lawyer Bernice Piñol Rodriguez, Mabanta’s legal counsel, said in an interview that Hirro is not a respondent in Romualdez’s complaint but merely a “journalist with credibility and integrity.”
Hirro joined PGMN as an anchor and commentator on the online channel, which was established in 2024.
Prior to this, Hirro was a beauty queen, having been crowned Miss Global Philippines in 2016. She then represented the Philippines in Miss Global 2016 and won as first runner-up./gsg/dp
