On Ted Failon’s Scandal and Coverup

This article is not about Pinay and Pinoy Sex Scandal. It’s not about Technology and Making Money Online. It’s simply my answer to Bendzg’s blogpost, “Ted Failon Scandal and Coverup”.

Bendzg is my Kababayan here in Maasin City. I wrote this article not to hurt him but just to share my thoughts on what he said at his blog.

Bendzg believed that Ted Failon is guilty of killing his wife Trina Etong and is also guilty of obstruction of justice. And not only that, he even accused the media in protecting the broadcaster, Ted Failon.

Covering up murder may be a daunting task but not when you have the media behind your back. Media has the ability to control people’s mind. They can just put a spin on things knowing that they already captured the people’s trust. They can turn stories around just by highlighting some parts of the story and making the culprit—Ted Failon himself, look like a victim of the government’s vendetta against a long-time critic.

It might be true that the “media has the ability to control people’s mind” through their presentation of the news. But I don’t think that the media will stand on the side of the criminal and protect him from the law. If we noticed that the media seems biased to the side of Ted, then that only means that they believed that Ted did not kill Trina.

The formula is really simple: repeat the lie over and over again and it will eventually sound more sensible than the truth itself. Roundup the friends who would testify that Ted Failon’s wife is suicidal; show a picture of a grieving family who mourns for their sibling’s “suicide attempt”;

I once heard a saying that “a lie told a thousand times became the truth“. I think, it’s the German’s Hitler who said this.

That saying might be true. But I don’t think that presenting the testimony of Trina’s friends and siblings to back up Ted’s claim that what happened to Trina was suicidal is just a way twisting the lie to make it the truth.

Let’s not forget that they are friends (not just friends but best friends) of Trina, and that Pamela is the younger sister of her. If Trina was killed by Ted, I wonder why the siblings and friends of Trina, including the daughter of Trina and Ted defended Ted?

highlight the police arrests and deem it inhuman then roundup the highly idealistic people manning the Commission on Human Rights; show the gullible daughter crying in front of national TV asking for prayers for a mother attempting suicide; and, lastly use the political angle making the present administration itself the mastermind of Failon’s supposed harassment to make him an unpalatable candidate for senator on next year’s election. And, to top it off, bring in the text polls and call-in opinions of the masses.

I understand that the QCPD were just doing their job in giving justice to the death of Trina Etong. But they also made mistakes.

First, they speculated that the killing of Trina was done in the bedroom. Then Ted and the cohorts transferred the dying Trina into the bathroom. Secondly, they said that the body of Ted was full of scratches due to the fighting between Trina and him.

But these speculations of the QCPD remains speculations and was actually proven wrong.

And another thing is: They showed the media how they used force in arresting Ted’s household and Trina’s siblings.

So, if these things were highlighted by the media, then we couldn’t blame the media if they’re doing this. Actually, it’s the officers of the QCPD whose to blame on this. The chief of the QCPD was even caught by the camera how he mishandled the evidence on this case and he was even caught by the camera lying during the Press-Con in relation to the arresting of the younger sister of Trina, Pamela.

It’s funny how lots and lots of people on TV believes in Ted Failon’s bullshit. Do they miss the fact that no gunfire was heard, that the bathroom was cleaned as well as the gun and even the insides of the car which is believed to be the crime scene is squeaky clean.

Well, at first I really thought that Ted killed Trina. But what made my mind changed was the story of Pamela and the friends of Trina.

What about Ted’s Bullshit? I think, Ted has learned how to dispose properly his shit (tae). But I also wonder if Ted has a bull that scattered its shits at the street.

What about the gunfire? If there was no gunfire heard, does it mean that Trina was killed outside their house? Who knows? But I think, Pamela knows about it.

What about the crime scenes that were cleaned up by the maids and by the driver? For me, that’s the mistake made by the household of Ted. But if it was Ted who commanded them to clean those places to hide something from the authorities, then why did he bring Trina to the nearest hospital?

Forget the suicide note which looks likes the 12-year old daughter’s handwriting containing “po” which is an uncommon term of endearment. Come on, will you use “po” or “opo” in addressing a spouse? I can’t image how they sound in bed in that case. “Bilisan mo pa, po.” (Hmmm. I change my mind. I think it sound kinky.) What’s funnier is having a witness for one’s suicide note.

What’s wrong with the “po” and “opo” between spouse? My wife and I use “po” and “opo” when we send text messages to each other, when we write letters and notes, and when we’re using Tagalog language when talking. I am a Kamayo speaking one and my wife is a leyteña, but we’re using “po” and “opo”.

I don’t care whether Ted Failon be imprisoned or not—I already know he won’t cause of all the bigwig friends.

Well, I do believe that Ted will not be imprisoned for the parricide or murder because of the fact that the evidences the authorities got supported Ted’s claim that Trina committed suicide. But I guess, the Failon’s household will be found guilty of “obstruction of justice”. But who knows (in da aparador ),  it’s just my thought.

All I care about is the type of media we have in this country. If we have a media institution who would be willing to cover the truth up just because Ted Failon is a part of their own, and even willing to make government institutions casualties to their worthless crusades, how could you expect society to make the wise decisions?

I know that it’s not good for a media to be biased. But it’s far worst for a writer, a blogger or a media to judge Ted guilty just because the crime scenes were cleaned up.

If there are victims in this Ted Failon scandal, it’s not Ted Failon himself, it’s not his children or his family, it’s the Quezon City Police Department, the government institutions and the people Ted Failon and his company, ABS-CBN betrayed.

For me the real victims here are all of us. The QCPD officers are victim of their own abuse of authority or maybe it is right to call it “excessive use of force“. Ted, his household and his in-laws are victim of their ignorance of the law. The government and the people of the Philippines are victims of their own corruption.

Who really betrayed anybody? Is it Hugo De Medina? Is it Arcides? Are the characters of the “La Traicion”? I think the traitors are we… all of us. We betrayed Philippines in our own way of betrayal.