Palace: Police report on Paolo Tantoco’s death ‘altered’

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Thursday that the Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, California, coordinated with the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) to verify a police report circulating on social media in connection with the death of Paolo Tantoco.

According to Castro, the BHPD clarified that some of the terms used in the alleged letter were inconsistent with its standard language and procedures.

“BHPD would not include terms such as ‘expected to be drug overdosed’, ‘suspected to be cocaine’ and ‘summoned to BHPD’,” she said, quoting the BHPD through a letter sent to the Philippine Consulate.

The BHPD further clarified that the police report shared on Facebook by former Palace Spokesperson Rigoberto Tiglao was “altered.”

“The altered letter contained terms that were not in line with the Beverly Hills Police standard language and protocol,” Castro added.

Earlier, Castro criticized “obstructionists” for linking Tantoco’s death to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and the Marcos administration.

Castro also emphasized that part of the circulating police report is “fabricated.”

The late businessman was married to Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, who currently serves as Deputy Social Secretary under the Marcos administration. He died on 8 March 2025, at the age of 44.

On the same day, First Lady Marcos was in Los Angeles to promote the Manila International Film Festival and attended a concert celebrating the event at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. She was joined by MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and other members of her delegation.