PEANUT Gallery Media Network (PGMN) anchor CJ Hirro failed to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday in compliance with a subpoena and was instead represented by her lawyers, who said she was “out of town.”
The lawyers went to the NBI Organized and Transnational Crimes Division (OTCD) office to acknowledge receiving the subpoena on her behalf.
“My client is out of town, but she is not hiding,” one of the lawyers, Lian Cacapit, said.
The NBI named Hirro as a “person of interest” in its investigation into an alleged attempt to extort P350 million from former speaker Martin Romualdez.
The extortion complaint also linked PGMN founder Franco Mabanta and four others.
Cacapit said Hirro has not personally received the subpoena, prompting the legal team to formally accept the document and coordinate with investigators.
The lawyers did not say if Hirro would personally appear before the NBI in the coming days, although they said she is expected to submit a counter-affidavit and cooperate with the investigation.
The NBI said it may issue another subpoena next week, but did not confirm whether Hirro’s presence will be required.
