Ted Failon of ABSCBN Guilty of Murder?

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City homicide investigators on Wednesday night were digging deeper into the circumstances that led to the shooting of the wife of ABS-CBN TV Patrol news anchor Ted Failon after they received conflicting versions of the incident that occurred earlier in the day.

Failon’s wife, as of early Thursday, is still in critical condition, doctors at the New Era General Hospital said.

Police are looking into two angles: violent crime or suicide attempt.

ABS-CBN TV Patrol’s Ron Gagalac on Wednesday night quoted a source from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) as saying that based on the investigators’ initial findings, it was Failon – whose real name is Mario Teodoro Failon Etong – who allegedly shot his wife Wednesday morning.

But Gagalac quickly cited another report by Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the QCPD Criminal Investigation Detection Unit, that investigators are looking into the possibility that Failon’s wife tried to commit suicide.

Heated argument

The unnamed police officer reportedly said that Failon shot his wife, Trinidad Archete-Etong, at the height of a heated argument inside the couple’s car. After the incident in Tandang Sora, Failon reportedly rushed Trinidad to the New Era General Hospital on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

The ABS-CBN report said the hospital declined to give details on Trinidad's condition. Gagalac quoted Dr. Salvador Corpuz, New Era medical director, as saying that Failon ordered the hospital not to give any information to the media about the incident.

The same report said Trinidad's relatives also declined to give any statement to the media, according to Corpuz.

In another report, radio dzBB quoted Corpuz as saying that Trinidad was rushed to New Era at about 11 a.m., Wednesday.

Wife’s letter of apology

The report said Failon told Mabanag that Trinidad left their home in Tierra Pura Homes along Tandang Sora Avenue in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City, Wednesday night after the couple had an argument. Trinidad reportedly left a letter to Failon wherein she said that she was sorry.

“Papa, I’m so sorry. Gustung-gusto ko ang magsabi sa iyo ng totoo pero hindi ko po alam kung paano uumpisahan. Sobrang takut na takot ako. Umalis muna ako, kasi hindi ko kaya at nahihiya akong humarap sa iyo. Sana po mapatawad mo ako, papa. Sorry, sorry papa – Mama," read the note that was reportedly written by Failon's wife.

[Papa, I’m so sorry. I really want to tell you the truth but I don’t know where to start. I am so scared. I left home because I cannot take it anymore and I don’t think I can face you. I hope you can forgive me, papa. Sorry, sorry papa – Mama.]

According to Gagalac, Mabanag said that when Failon reported for work in the morning for his program over radio dzMM, Trinidad returned home. When Failon went home, he reportedly saw his wife lying with a wound in her head inside the room of the couple’s daughter. That was when Failon reportedly rushed his wife to the hospital.

Paraffin test

Later in the day, Failon, who is being investigated by the police, and took a paraffin test at his Tierra Pura home, issued a statement saying that he rushed Trinidad to the hospital after he saw his bloodied wife lying on the bathroom floor.

“Hindi ko tinapos ang aking programa sa dzMM kaninang umaga matapos kong makausap ang aking asawa sa telepono kaya umuwi ako kaagad at natagpuan kong nakakandado ang pinto ng banyo. Pinabuksan ko ang pinto at natagpuan ko ang aking asawa na duguan kung kaya’t tinakbo ko siya agad sa hospital," Failon said in a statement.

[I didn't finish my program at dzMM this morning after I talked to my wife over the phone. I went home at once and I found that the bathroom door was locked. I had the door opened and I found my bloodied wife thus I rushed her to the hospital.]

Police have also subjected under paraffin tests other members of the Failon household, including the family’s driver Glenn Pulam, and three house helpers, Pacifico Apacible, a certain “Frida" and a certain “Carlota."

In a radio dzBB report, Mabanag quoted Failon as saying that the gun used in the shooting incident was theirs and that Failon left the gun, a .38-caliber pistol, on top a cabinet in their master bedroom.

The bullet entered through Trinidad's left temple and exited through her right temple, according to Mabanag. He said investigators still have to "determine if it is a contact shot or shot from afar."

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Ted suggested that Trinidad's problem stemmed from financial woes.

In an official statement, Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN’s corporate communications department, appealed to media and others to respect Failon’s privacy.

“We appeal to everyone to please respect the privacy of Mr. Ted Failon and his family. His wife is fighting for her life," the statement read. - GMANews.TV