Malacañang has confirmed that the police report circulating online regarding the death of Rustan’s executive Paolo Tantoco in Beverly Hills was altered, and dismissed claims linking First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos to the incident.
During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles coordinated with U.S. authorities and confirmed with the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) that the report shared online contained discrepancies.
“Some of the terms used in the purported letter were not in line with BHPD’s standard language and protocol,” Castro said, pointing out that phrases like “expected to be drug overdose,” “suspected to be cocaine,” and “summoned to BHPD” were not typical of official police reports.
The report, posted by columnist Rigoberto Tiglao, mentioned that the First Lady, along with Dinah Arroyo Tantoco and actress Alexa Miro, had been summoned for questioning by police. However, according to Castro, this claim is false.
Tiglao, for his part, said he contacted BHPD and received confirmation from Lt. Chris Coulter that the document he posted had been altered and “that information was NOT released by the Beverly Hills Police Department.” Tiglao argued that while the department noted the information wasn’t officially released, it didn’t categorically deny that the individuals were questioned, suggesting a possible omission rather than fabrication.
Castro responded by stating that the First Lady was not staying at the same hotel where Tantoco was found and had a full schedule of official activities on March 8, the day of the incident. She highlighted that the First Lady attended a Filipino community concert alongside Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, an event publicly documented and posted on social media.
“Makikita po ninyo sa screen na mayroong konsyerto para sa Filipino… paano masasabi ng mga obstructionist na ito, ng mga Facebook peddlers na ito ang patungkol sa nakita nilang mga tao doon sa vicinity,” Castro said, stressing that misleading narratives were being spread for personal gain.
She denounced the attempt to link the First Lady to Tantoco’s death as “a huge lie” and said the Palace is now exploring legal options against those spreading the misinformation.
The Rustan’s executive passed away in March 2025 in what was initially speculated to be a drug-related incident. The official findings from the BHPD have not been made public.
