Ted says wife had financial problems

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN anchor Ted Failon claimed yesterday that financial problems prompted his wife Trinidad’s suicide.

Failon said he had been aware of Trinidad’s alleged financial problems since Holy Week and they were planning to talk and resolve the issue just before the suicide took place.

Failon granted a lengthy interview to ABS-CBN and merely provided short statements to other media networks.

In the television interview, Failon said he and Trinidad were supposed to meet and talk over the problem Wednesday morning, as they had agreed Tuesday night.

“I was looking for her and then I found her in the guest room. I talked to her and tried to persuade her to take it easy. If the problem is money, I can easily solve that problem,” Failon recalled his conversation with Trinidad.

“Mama, we all came from a poor family, so we know how to deal with these things,” Failon told his wife late Tuesday.

Failon said he was hesitant to report for work the following morning for lack of sleep. He said he decided to proceed to his radio program on dzMM.

Failon said he was forced to leave the radio program early after learning from their housemaid that Trinidad locked herself in their bedroom.

“I called on the phone and talked to our housemaid, who told me that she (Trinidad) was still locked in the room. I tried to contact her on her cell phone but to no avail. So I decided to leave my program and went home,” Failon recalled.

Failon said he went directly to their bedroom but Trinidad was not there. He then proceeded to the guest room, but found the door locked, prompting him to ask for the key from the maid.

After opening the guest room, Failon said he learned that his wife was inside the bathroom, but its door was also locked. He then asked their maid to get another key.

“When we opened the door, we saw her (Trinidad) in a pool of blood,” Failon said.

Failon’s daughter Kaye came to the defense of her father, maintaining that her mother tried to commit suicide.

“I called up Papa and I was told that Mama had an accident,” said Kaye, who has been studying in Cebu City. She belied insinuations that her father was guilty.

“My father narrated what really happened. And I believe him, it was the same statement he submitted to the police,” Kaye said.

Kaye said her mother’s condition, including blood pressure and other indicators, has stabilized.

She said a neurosurgeon has scheduled a check on the effect of the bullet wound on her mother’s brain.

Trinidad, 45, is now fighting for her life at the New Era Hospital. Failon claimed he found her slumped inside their daughter’s bathroom at around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Trinidad sustained a gunshot wound on her left temple with the bullet exiting on the right side.

Police said there was an apparent attempt to cover up the incident since the shooting was reported to the police by the management of New Era Hospital and not by Failon.

Security guards detailed at the gate of the Tierra Pura Subdivision learned about the shooting only after police arrived to investigate the incident.

Failon claimed he and members of his household were being treated unfairly by the police in their investigation.

Reports said Failon was mocked and teased by policemen while undergoing gunpowder tests while some of his maids were harassed with lewd remarks.

Police told Failon to lodge a complaint if they were indeed being maltreated.

Malacañang, on the other hand, assured Failon of a fair investigation in the case.

“We share the emotions of the family of Ted Failon but this is a police matter so the Palace will not intervene,” Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said in a news briefing.

“Everybody will be given fair treatment. Filipinos should be given fair treatment under our laws,” he said.

Golez cautioned the police in the conduct of investigations against Failon and his household.

“If these reports are true, this would be a good time to check on the system of going to the scene of the crime and handling people in the scene of the crime,” Golez said.

Lawmakers said the police must be allowed leeway in their investigation into the incident.

“The police are actively doing their work. I am for allowing the police unhampered investigation into the case of Ted Failon. We can only sympathize with him,” Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.

According to Pimentel, he was being interviewed by Failon on his radio program over dzMM last Wednesday and was surprised to learn that the radio program host left in a hurry.

“Incidents like this must be left to the police for investigation. The police have ample power and authority to do their thing,” Pimentel said.

Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, for his part, called on the police to stop making comments and speculative statements over the incident.

“The speculations that are coming out would not help in finding out the whole truth about the tragedy… They only add to the hurt feelings of the (Failons), who are all worrying about their loved one,” Revilla said.

Sen. Loren Legarda said what befell the Failons was a tragedy no matter what the circumstances that led to it.

Former President Joseph Estrada expressed his continued support to Failon, whom he described as “a man who has shown the country his talent and dedication for the good of the poor Filipinos.”

“We commiserate with him through this difficult time. We hope that he stays strong throughout this ordeal for himself and for his family and pray for the speedy recovery of his wife,” Estrada said.

Estrada said Failon is a man of integrity and committed to airing concerns of the masses and uplifting the lives of the poor Filipinos.

He said Failon must be accorded fair treatment in the investigation of the case.

“The law states that a man is considered innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, the speculations surrounding the incident have not marred our opinion of Mr. Failon,” he said.

Estrada has included Failon among the possible senatorial candidates of the opposition. – With Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano, Sheila Laude