
First Lady Liza Marcos will not accompany President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his visit to Washington, USA from July 20 to 22, Malacañang said. Presidential Communications Usec. Claire Castro confirmed this in a radio interview but did not provide further details.
This is not the first time that First Lady Marcos has not joined a US trip. Last year, she was also absent from the trilateral meeting between US President Biden, Japanese PM Kishida, and President Marcos.
But now, the conversation has heated up even more because Liza Marcos is being linked to the death of Rustan’s executive Paolo Tantoco in Beverly Hills in March. Malacañang vehemently denied this and said that the circulating police report that the First Lady was involved is fake.
Although some officials defended him, Senator Imee Marcos called for a clear report on the incident, especially since there are speculations that the First Lady was present near the time of the incident. Tantoco was reportedly part of the MIFF delegation group with the First Lady from March 4 to 7.
Meanwhile, Sen. Imee Marcos also filed a bill named the “President Rodrigo R. Duterte Bill” to protect Filipinos against unauthorized removal or transfer outside the country, following the arrest of former President Duterte under an ICC warrant.