Ted Failon's wife shot herself, expert linked to PAO claims

MANILA, Philippines - A forensic expert connected with the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) claims that it is likely that the wife of news anchor Ted Failon committed suicide based on the contusion found in her skull. According to Dr. Erwin Erfe, forensic consultant of the PAO, the contusion of bruise created by the bullet that pierced through the right temple of Trinindad Arteche Etong was “uniform," indicating that Failon’s wife shot herself. However, Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, said Erfe who is also professor of forensic medicine at the Ateneo Law School, should refrain from giving information because he is not part of the official team looking into the Etong case. “It’s not proper. He should not be talking. He should not be volunteering information because he is not part of the official investigating team," said Gonzalez in an interview with GMANews.TV on Monday, April 20. According to Erfe, the contusion showed that “this was most likely a suicide." Police investigators have yet to come out with the results of the autopsy conducted on Etong. "Significant itong contusion collar or parang pasa na nilagusan ng bala. May sign na uniform ito. Ibig sabihin ang baril na ginamit ay perpendicular at pantay na pantay [The contusion collar or somewhat bruise was significant in the investigation. The contusion was uniform meaning the gun was fired perpendicularly and at a leveled position]," Erfe said in a radio interview Monday. Erfe said that if Failon - who is 5' 10" high - was the one who shot his wife - 5' 2" - the contusion would not have been perpendicular. Police investigators did not find any trace of gunshot residue from the autopsied body of Etong. Also, Failon’s paraffin test yielded negative results. PAO consultant A check with the PAO confirmed that Erfe is a consultant of the office headed by Persida Rueda Acosta. Gonzalez earlier ordered Acosta to stop “lawyering" for Failon. In a memorandum, the DOJ secretary said the PAO’s mandate is to extend legal assistance only to those who can’t afford it. Erfe said that Failon personally requested him to serve as an independent forensic consultant among the members of the autopsy team. Dr. Paul Ed Ortiz, a medico-legal expert, is the head of the Philippine National Police’s Scene of the Crime Operation team that conducted autopsy on Etong. Erfe was the head of the PAO team that studied the forensic evidence on the 1983 Galman-Aquino double murder case. According to Acosta, the three-month review of Erfe’s team on the case showed that Galman was the actual killer of former senator Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr. Erfe was also the PAO-designated forensic expert that questioned the re-autopsy done by Dr. Raquel Fortun on the three suspected car thieves who died on the Feb. 17 alleged shootout with police along EDSA in Quezon City. - GMANews.TV