Advocacy groups condemn ‘attack’ on First Lady

A non-governmental organization has strongly condemned what it called a “calculated and cowardly” online attack against First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. The group denounced “twisted facts” linking her to the death of Paolo Tantoco through a fabricated police blotter.

Dr. Jose Antonio Ejercito Goitia, chairman emeritus of four nationalist democratic advocacy groups — People Alliance for Democracy and Reform (PADER), Alyansa ng Bayan para sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and FDNY Movement — described the fake blotter as a “lie weaponized to spark outrage.”

“In all my years of public service, I’ve seen my fair share of political mudslinging, but this recent online attack on First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos truly hit a nerve,” Goitia said, adding he was “deeply disturbed and compelled to speak out” due to the First Lady’s dedication and grace.

Both the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles and Malacañang have debunked the fabricated document, which circulated widely online. Goitia emphasized that the document lacked the official hallmarks of a legitimate US record.

Goitia, who said that he has come to know the First Lady as “principled, intelligent, and respectful,” expressed anger at seeing her name “dragged through the mud.” He clarified that while she was in the US at the time of Tantoco’s passing, she had no involvement.

“This wasn’t some random rumor. It was a direct attack, meant to smear her reputation,” Goitia said, adding that the issue transcends politics and speaks to “basic human decency.”

Goitia called for legal action against those responsible, citing several laws including Cyber Libel (RA 10175) for online defamation, Falsification of Public Documents (Article 171, Revised Penal Code) for creating fake reports, and the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) to protect women, including public figures, from gender-based harassment.

He also urged international cooperation with agencies such as the Beverly Hills Police Department and the US Embassy to track the origins of the fake blotter. Locally, he called on the Philippine Department of Justice and Department of the Interior and Local Government to conduct an in-depth investigation.