Cops: Junking of obstruction raps vs Failon 'dangerous precedent'

The junking of obstruction of justice charges against the camp of broadcaster Ted Failon could set “a dangerous precedent,” according to police sources .

“It’s a dangerous precedent because it practically tells people that it’s okay to clean a crime scene,” one of the sources said in a recent interview.

“People who have something to hide will clean up a crime scene and later on cite this resolution to say there was nothing wrong with what they did,” the source said.

The police source warned that in future cases, “even the lamest excuse would be used to give reason for the act of cleaning up a crime scene.”

The cleaning of the bathroom where Trinidad Etong was found with a gunshot wound in the head on April 15 and the vehicle used to transport her to the New Era General Hospital was one of the basis for charges earlier filed against Failon and five others.

Apart from Failon, also charged were Etong’s sister Pamela Arteche, and members of the household Carlota Morbos, Wilfreda Bollecer, Glen Polan and Pacifico Apacible.

The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office recently dismissed the charges. Police are set to file a motion seeking a review of the prosecutor’s resolution before the Department of Justice.

In reaction to the dismissal of the charges, another source said “many will adopt this style.”

A police insider said even if investigators were still determining whether it was a suicide case as claimed by the Etong household or if there was foul play, “the fact that there was a woman with a gunshot wound in head” merited following the protocol in a crime investigation.

“That was definitely a crime scene. What else would you call that?” the source said. – Reinir Padua