Malacañang confirmed on Friday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and social media personality Franco Mabanta briefly worked together in 2018 before parting ways due to differences in working style.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Mabanta served as Marcos’ social media director for around six months.
Speaking to reporters in Cebu, Castro explained that the professional relationship ended because the President was reportedly dissatisfied with Mabanta’s approach.
“Medyo hindi nagustuhan iyung style,” Castro said.
She added that she was unaware of other details regarding the arrangement but believes Mabanta was no longer involved in Marcos’ 2022 presidential campaign.
Castro earlier clarified that Marcos and Mabanta are not friends.
Mabanta, the founder of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), was recently arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation over allegations that he attempted to extort money from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in exchange for withholding the release of a video allegedly linking Romualdez to anomalies involving flood control projects.
Meanwhile, Castro also responded to criticisms made by Vice President Sara Duterte, who accused the Palace official of being “papansin” or attention-seeking.
Castro denied the allegation, saying she merely responds to questions raised by the media and speaks in accordance with official Palace positions.
The Vice President had earlier criticized Castro and the administration over issues including unemployment, government debt, and the administration’s handling of national concerns.
Duterte also claimed that President Marcos was allegedly not properly performing his duties.
In response, Castro rejected the accusations and defended the administration’s ongoing efforts, including measures addressing the impact of the Middle East crisis and the government’s hosting of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu.
Castro also took a swipe at Duterte, suggesting the Vice President may not be fully updated on current developments.