Palace: Beverly Hills police report faked to link First Lady to Tantoco death

Malacañang on Tuesday denounced efforts to link First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to the death in the US of Rustan's executive Paolo Tantoco in March.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, in particular, branded as "a huge lie" the portion of a Beverly Hills Police Department report that was posted on Facebook.

The said portion adverted to "drug overdose" and the companions of the deceased getting summoned for questioning.

''Ang sinasabing police report na nai-post sa Facebook ay isang malaking kasinungalingan. Kahit kayo po mismo ay maaaring mag-imbestiga sa nasabing lugar, sa Beverly Hills Police Department, para malaman ninyo na iyong inilagay sa Facebook na may guhit na color pink, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ang parteng iyon ay idinagdag lamang,'' Castro said.

(The police report posted on Facebook is a huge lie. If you were to investigate at the Beverly Hills Police Department, you would find out that the portion with a pink line was only added.)

''Nag-start ang mga salitang 'and the cause of initially suspected to be drug overdose, up to the word ending in 'Miro' iyan po ay idinagdag lamang. Ito ay mga gawain upang masira ang Unang Ginang, ang Pangulo at ang administrasyon na ito para sa pang-personal na interes,'' she added.

(It starts with the words 'and the cause of initially suspected to be drug overdose' up to the word 'Miro', those were only added. These are meant to destroy the First Lady, the President, and this administration. For personal interests.)

Asked about the Rustan corporation scion's death on Monday, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez told reporters that it was "a private matter."

''Nakakalungkot dahil iyong mga  pribadong tao na nagluluksa ay nadadamay sa pamumulitika. Ginagamit ng  ibang obstructionist para masira ang First Lady, ang Pangulo at ang administrasyon na ito. Nakakahiya ang kanilang mga ginagawa,'' Castro said. 

(It's sad that private persons in mourning are dragged into politics. They are used by other obstructionists to smear the First Lady, the President, and this administration. Shame on them.)

''Unang-una, si Mr. Paolo Tantoco ay hindi po kasama sa official entourage ni FL o ni First Lady, ng unang Ginang. Nakakahiya dahil gumawa sila ng pekeng police report, naturingang journalist, mga dating Spokespersons, hindi marunong mag-imbestiga ng sarili. Hindi sila nagiging journalist, kung hindi nagiging propagandista ng kanilang mga sinusulong na interes,'' she added.

(First off, Mr. Paolo Tantoco is not a part of the official entourage of the First Lady. It's a shame that they fabricated a police report, the journalists that they are, former spokespersons. They didn't know how to investigate on their own. They were not being journalists but propagandists pushing for certain interests.)

Castro denied that the First Lady was staying in the same hotel as Tantoco.

''Tandaan po natin, ang Unang Ginang po, noong siya ay nasa Los Angeles ay mayroon po siyang security service na provide ng US at mayroon din po siyang kasamang PSG. Hindi rin po siya nag-stay sa nasabing hotel ni Mr. Tantoco. Iba po ang kanyang hotel,'' Castro said.

(When the First Lady was in Los Angeles, she was given security by the US, and she had PSG with her. She didn't stay in the same hotel as Mr. Tantoco.)

The Palace official also flashed on screen the activities attended by the First Lady on March 8, showing that she was with Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.

''Makikita po ninyo sa screen na mayroong konsyerto para sa Filipino. Makikita ninyo sa larawan din, Secretary Christina Frasco, March 8 iyan ginanap, hapon hanggang gabi. Paano masasabi ng mga obstructionist na ito, ng mga Facebook peddlers na ito ang patungkol sa nakita nilang mga tao doon sa vicinity, kaya po iyan ay idinagdag lamang..." Castro said.

(You will see on the screen that there was a concert for Filipinos. You would also see Secretary Christina Frasco. That was on March 9, from the afternoon until the evening. How can these obstructionists say, these Facebook peddlers, what people saw in the vicinity? That portion was just added.)

''Nandito naman po iyon sa Facebook ng Unang Ginang. Pero kahit ito po ay nasa Facebook, at ito po ay nairereport naman, pilit nilang binabago ang kuwento at nakakalungkot, dahil kapwa Filipino ang kanilang niloloko para sa kanilang personal na interes,'' she added.

(All these are on the First Lady's Facebook. But even if this is already on Facebook and these are being reported, they kept on trying to change the narrative. It is sad because they are trying to deceive fellow Filipinos for their own interest.)

Meanwhile, Castro disclosed that the Palace was studying to take legal action against those behind the allegations against the First Lady. –NB, GMA Integrated News