Vice President Sara Duterte revealed in a video interview released on Monday that First Lady Liza Marcos’ name was included in the list of people present during the death of a Filipino businessman due to a suspected cocaine overdose in the US.
“Noong nagkaroon ng malaking krimen sa Estados Unidos na merong namatay dahil sa drug overdose at kung makikita ninyo doon sa police report ay nandoon ang pangalan ng First Lady Liza Marcos na isa sa mga tao doon sa loob ng kuwarto kung nasaan yung isang tao ay na-overdose, namatay dahil sa suspected drug overdose sa hotel room at ang daming nakitang white powdery substance na sinabi doon sa police report na suspected cocaine,” the vice president said.
On March 8, 2025, social media was abuzz with news that the First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos was present at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where Juan Paolo Tantoco, a member of the family that controls the Rustan’s Group of Companies, passed away allegedly due to cocaine overdose.
Tantoco’s wife Dina is Malacañang’s deputy social secretary.
His death was also reported in a news outlet stating that Los Angeles County reported the death of a 44-year-old Asian male that occurred at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, located at 9876 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills and the coroner’s office identified the man as Juan Paolo Tantoco.
The vice president also said that when the controversy happened, former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Bigla nilang kinidnap at kinuha si pangulong Duterte,” she said.
On Monday’s press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro denied vice president’s claims linking the First Lady to the alleged cocaine use and a US death incident, calling them false. Castro also said there’s no connection between the First Lady to the whisking off of the former president to The Hague, Netherlands.
“Sa kanya pala nanggaling ang fake news. Siya pala ang source ng fake news na ito na pinapakalat laban sa unang ginang. Unang-una po, kailangan po ba nating paniwalaan ang ganitong klaseng storya na nanggagaling sa bise presidente?” Castro said.
