Paolo Tantoco
Juan Paolo "Paowee" Tantoco was a Filipino businessman who was administrator of the department store chain Rustan's.
Early life and education
Paolo Tantoco was born on January 6, 1981 to Nena and Bienvenido "Rico" Tantoco Jr. He is sixth among a family of seven children. He is a grandson of Rustan's founders Bienvenido Tantoco and Gliceria Rustia Tantoco.Tantoco attended the International School Manila during middle school where he first met his future wife. He parted ways with his classmate and went to the United States to study at the Bentley College in Boston to pursue a degree in business administration.
He earned a master's degree in business at the Asian Institute of Management in 2017.
Career
Paolo Tantoco was assistant vice president of Rustan Commercial Corporation which was started by his grandparents. Tantoco was also chief operating officer of Pacific Links Golf Development and chief security and procurement officer of Sta. Elena Golf and Country Estate at the time of his death.Death
Tantoco was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles County in the United States and was formally declared dead March 8, 2025.The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office declared his official cause of death to be a drug overdose from the use of cocaine.
His death was also claimed without concrete evidence to be a diversion tactic from the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte in March 11 for the International Criminal Court. Misinformation regarding First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos' detention in Los Angeles was also spread connecting Tantoco's death.