Failon 'slips away' police office to go to hospital; cops pursue him

MANILA, Philippines - Broadcaster Ted Failon (Ted Etong) left a Quezon City police office early Thursday to go to a hospital where his wife was confined after being shot in their house Wednesday morning. However, a police official dispatched teams to pursue Failon, whose lawyers he claimed had “smuggled" him out of the police office early Thursday. Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit head Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita said Failon went out of his office briefly to confer with lawyers. "(Sinamahan) siya ng abogado, nag-uusap-usap ... Nagdispatsa kami ng tao para sundan sila [His lawyers escorted him out of my office supposedly so they can confer ... I have dispatched teams to go after them]," Ratuita said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said Failon had at least nine lawyers who went to his office at Camp Karingal. "Di pa tapos ang aming investigation [We have not finished our investigation)," he said. Ratuita said they are still investigating Failon for the shooting of his wife Trinidad inside their Quezon City residence Wednesday morning. He said they need to question Failon because he was the first one to see his wife's body inside the comfort room, and because his handgun was the weapon in the incident. "Pagpunta namin sa bahay malinis ang lugar [When we went to the house, the scene of the incident was cleaned up]," Ratuita added. Also, he cited a "conflict" between the statements of Failon and a member of his household, where Failon said Trinidad was in a lying position but the household member said she was in a sitting position. As of posting time, radio dzBB reported that Failon, together with his lawyers, was seen at the New Era General Hospital where his wife is undergoing treatment. - GMANews.TV