MANILA, Philippines —Malacañang on Thursday denied claims that a police report linked First Lady Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos to the death of businessman Paolo Tantoco.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro clarified during a press briefing that the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles had already identified the circulating document as forged and reported it to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Netizens and social media personalities shared the alleged police report online, despite its inconsistencies with the standard format used by the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD).
Castro cited a Manila Times column by Rigoberto Tiglao, which presented purported details surrounding Tantoco’s death in Los Angeles.
The Philippine Consulate verified the report with the BHPD and confirmed that the document Tiglao posted had been altered.
Castro explained that although the letter mirrored the BHPD’s formatting and tone, it used phrases that the department does not typically include in official reports.
She noted that the report described the cause of death as a “drug overdose” and used irregular language such as “expected to be overdosed” and “suspected to be cocaine.”
Castro stressed that the BHPD does not use such terminology in its standard documentation. The altered report also allegedly named the First Lady among those supposedly summoned for questioning.
Castro emphasized that several claims appearing in the circulated report did not exist in the original documentation from the BHPD. She reiterated that government officials consider the report fabricated.