Ted Failon Wife Shooting Rumors

UPDATE 4 (April 16, 2009, 1PM): Ted Failon’s driver and maid who was instructed by Ted Failon to clean the alleged crime scene and his car, was arrested just today at noon, by the Quezon City Police. Pacifico Apacible, Failon’s alleged driver, and Carlota Morbos, Failon’s maid, refused to comment or show any emotions when arrested. This while a lawyer tried but failed to prevent the arrest. Meanwhile, Pilar Arteche, the sister of the victim, Trina Etong, will make a public announcement right after Wowowee on ABS-CBN. Ted Failon and his daughter are in the New Era Hospital where the victim’s condition has stabilized.

Ted Failon has undergone a paraffin test but the result was negative. Meanwhile, two Senators have expressed Ted Failon’s innocennce in the crime. Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who is Failon’s colleague in DZMM issued this statement: â€Ã…“Sa halos sampung tao nating nakatrabaho si Ted, wala tayong dahilan upang paniwalaan ang mga paratang na lumalabas na may foul play ang insidente [In the 10 years that I worked with Ted, I have no reason to believe allegations that there was foul play.”

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Senate Minority Leader, also expressed his sympathy towards Failon as he called for a thorough investigation into the shooting.

â€Ã…“I am for allowing the police unhampered investigation into the case of Ted Failon. We can only sympathize with him. He’s a friend of mine, a personal friend of mine.” Pimentel also criticized the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), saying it should not meddle in the investigation.

Yesterday, Vice President Noli De Castro, Ted Failon’s neighbor, was also seen in Ted Failon’s house immediately after the Ted Failon wife shooting news came out. Ted Failon was named by former President Joseph Estrada days ago as one of the names the opposition is considering to be included in their Senatorial lineup in the 2010 Elections.

Breaking News ( April 15, 2009, 5 PM): TV Patrol World news anchor and veteran broadcast journalist Ted Failon’s wife was shot in the head by still unidentified suspects inside their house in Tierra Pura in Tandang Sora, Quezon City today. Trinidad Arteche Etong, 44, was declared brain-dead by physicians at the New Era Hospital after sustaining a bullet wound in her right temple.The slug went through the side of her head, according to police reports.

ABS-CBN, Ted Failon’s home network issued this official statement to the media: “We appeal to everyone to please respect the privacy of Mr.Ted Failon and his family. His wife is fighting for her life.” This is after reports came out that the couple were involved in a “shooting incident.” Apparently the statement was made before the latest report that Ms. Thelma Etong is now brain-dead. Ted Failon’s real name is Mario Teodoro Failon Etong.

Rumors then spread like wildfire through the net and text messages that Mr. Ted Failon had something to do with the incident. As of presstime, TV Patrol World is now broadcasting on air with nary a word about the Ted Failon and his wife shooting incident. Meanwhile, it’s rival early evening news program, 24 Oras, featured the incident prominently albeit with still sketchy details.

UPDATE 2: TV Patrol World eventually covered the story and gave important details which basically shows that Ted Failon’s wife committed suicide, based on the letter found in their household. The Quezon City SOCO Police meanwhile said they are not yet ruling the shooting of the wife of television news anchor Ted Failon as a suicide despite the discovery of an apparent suicide note because of â€Ã…“inconsistencies in the statements” of Ted Failon.

Also, Ted Failon reportedly told police that the alleged suicide note was received by him last night when his wife left with her sister. They also noticed that although the entry wound was on Mrs. Failon’s left temple, the .380 caliber pistol she was shot with was on her right side. Police also observed that there are no bullet markings where a slug could have ricocheted in the bathroom, the alleged scene of the incident.

Ted Failon on his part issued this statement:

â€Ã…“Hindi ko na tinapos and aking programa sa dzMM kaninang umaga matapos kong makausap and aking asawa sa telepono. Kaya umuwi ako kaagad at natagpuan kong nakakandado ang pinto ng banyo. Pinabuksan ko ang pinto at natagpuan ko and aking asawa na duguan kung kaya’t itinakbo ko sya kaagad sa ospital [I did not finish my program at dzMM this morning after I spoke to my wife. So I went home immediately and found the door of the bathroom locked. I had the door opened and I found my wife bloody which is why I rushed her immediately to the hospital.”

The police are also suspicious why the said incident was not reported immediately. They also said that upon reaching Failon’s house, they discovered that the scene of the incident had already been cleaned by the househelp, which he said could constitute a violation of Presidential Decree 1829, or obstruction of justice. The househelp, Glen and Frida, claimed no one had ordered them to clean the site.

Witnesses in the New Era Hospital saw Failon leaving the hospital emergency room around 1 p.m. in a bloodied polo shirt and wearing a surgical mask to avoid identification by policemen and reporters posted outside. He then left on a blue Pajero with plate number NPE-293.

The gardener of a neighbor of Failon’s said that before noon, he saw the broadcaster in a bloodied shirt as he was about to board the Pajero in his garage with another woman crying. But he did not see Failon’s wife.

UPDATE 3: Ted Failon has undergone a paraffin test, an archaic way to determine if a person has fired a gun recently. Ted is also set to be arrested anytime soon for Obstruction of Justice because of the cleanup of the alleged crime scene before the police could even get to the scene of the crime.