DOJ affirms dismissal of complaint vs Ted Failon

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has affirmed its dismissal of the obstruction of justice complaint filed against ABS-CBN broadcaster Ted Failon in connection with the death of his wife in April 2009. In a two-page resolution, the DOJ denied with finality the petition for review filed by members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), who assailed a resolution by the QC Prosecutor’s Office dated May 4, 2009 dismissing the case against Failon (Teodoro Etong in real life). "We have carefully evaluated the arguments advanced by the complainants in their motion for reconsideration, the same having been adequately considered and passed upon in the assailed Resolution. Finding no cogent reason to disturb the earlier resolutions, much less reverse the same, we resolved to deny the motion for reconsideration," the DOJ ruled. Aside from Failon, also cleared of the charges were his sister-in-law Pamela Arteche-Trinchera, Carlota Morbis, Frida Bollicer, Pacifico Apacible, and Glen Polan. Failon’s wife, Trinidad “Trina" Etong, was found with a gunshot wound on her head on April 15, 2009, inside their residence in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. She was brought to the New Era General Hospital where she later died. Investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ruled that Mrs. Etong committed suicide. She was found to be suffering from a major depressive disorder. The QCPD filed the case against Failon for his failure to immediately report the incident to the police and for allegedly disturbing the place where his wife shot herself by ordering his househelps to clean it. The Failon couple had been married for 25 years prior to Mrs. Etong’s death. — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV