FACT CHECK: Post falsely claims detained suspects in Tantoco death shown on website

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The post falsely claims that the Beverly Hills Jail Inmate Roster website shows the name of First Lady Liza Marcos and others; however, any name can be made to appear as if a report about them exists

Claim: Results from the “inmate lookup” function on the Beverly Hills Jail Inmate Roster show that several people were detained in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, in connection with the death of Rustan executive Paolo Tantoco on March 9.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim can be found in a July 14 Facebook post on the account of former broadcaster Jay Sonza.

The post shows screenshots of search results from a website named “Beverly Hills Jail Inmate Roster Lookup,” with the URL https://beverlyhillsjailroster.org/. The screenshots show a search for First Lady Louise Marcos or Liza Araneta-Marcos, Cebu 5th District Representative Duke Frasco, tourism secretary Christina Frasco, and Limuel Borgonia. Text on the screenshots indicates that reports were available for the said individuals, implying that they have been detained in Beverly Hills Jail. 

The post was made amid claims of the First Lady’s alleged links to Tantoco’s death. As of writing, the post already has around 1,400 reactions, 144 comments, and 186 shares.

The facts: The method used by Sonza to show that the First Lady and others were supposedly detained in Beverly Hills Jail is unreliable. 

Using Sonza’s approach, any name (or even a non-name) can be made to appear as if reports about them exist in the inmate roster, as shown in the examples below:

The website also states in its disclaimer that it is not a government-affiliated website: “This website is operated by a privately owned company and is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any government entity, agency, office, or the correctional facilities listed herein.”

It also says that it “does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided on this website.”

On Tantoco’s death: The Rustan executive died on March 9, and his cause of death was revealed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner to be from “cocaine effects.” He had earlier been claimed to be part of the First Lady’s entourage for the Manila International Film Festival held from March 4 to 7. Malacañang has clarified that Tantoco was not part of the First Lady’s delegation. 

A screenshot of a supposed police report claiming that the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) summoned Marcos and two others in relation to Tantoco’s death has recently circulated on social media. On July 15, Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the supposed police report is “fake” and used by “obstructionists” to put the First Lady in a bad light. (READ: [Closer Look] Overkill and overreach in controversy linking Liza Marcos to Tantoco’s death)

‘No one summoned’: In an email exchange with the BHPD, Lieutenant Chris Coulter of the Investigative Services Division told Rappler that the document showing the names of Marcos, Tantoco’s wife, Dinah Arroyo Tantoco, and Alexa Miro as among those who were supposedly summoned to BHPD was “NOT authentic.”

Asked whether someone had been summoned in relation to Tantoco’s death, Coulter replied, “While we are not releasing the names of anyone interviewed, no one was ‘summoned’ to BHPD.”

Previous related fact-checks: Rappler has previously fact-checked the false claim that mainstream media outlets did not report Tantoco’s passing before his cause of death became known this July.

Rappler has also fact-checked several claims from Sonza. – Percival Bueser/ Rappler.com 

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.