Blotter linking First Lady to Tantoco death ‘altered’

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged police report stating that First Lady Liza Marcos was among those who were summoned by the Beverly Hills Police Department for questioning after the death of business executive Paolo Tantoco was “altered,” Malacañang said yesterday.

Citing information from the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the report, which circulated on social media, used terms that were inconsistent with the language and protocols of the Beverly Hills police.

The report was posted on Facebook by former press secretary Rigoberto Tiglao, who claimed to have received a photo of a Beverly Hills police records supervisor reporting about Tantoco’s death on March 8 and the people who were with the business executive when police arrived.

One of the people, named “Lisa Araneta Marcos” was with Tantoco, Tiglao said.

“With reference to Mr. Tiglao’s post on the screenshot of a purported report surrounding the circumstances of the death of Mr. Paolo Tantoco, the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles had verified with the Beverly Hills police that the report posted by Tiglao was altered,” Castro said.

“The altered letter contained terms that were not in line with the Beverly Hills Police Department standard language and protocols. BHPD would not include terms such as expected to be drug overdosed, suspected to be cocaine and summoned to BHPD,” she added.

On Tuesday, Castro said the report shared on Facebook was edited to include suspected cocaine overdose and the names of the people who were supposedly with Tantoco when he died.

Castro slammed what she described as “obstructionists” who used a “fake police report” to destroy President Marcos, the First Lady and the administration.

Castro also clarified that on the day Tantoco died, the First Lady attended various events in California, including a concert for Filipinos in Los Angeles.