'Failon's 8-hour stay at QCPD belies obstruction rap'
ABS-CBN news anchor Ted Failon's lawyer said the hard-hitting broadcaster's eight-hour stay at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) headquarters is enough to disprove the obstruction of justice claim by police.
"Hindi daw siya naging cooperative sa police. Hindi nagbigay ng kumpletong detalye... Nung gabing iyon, in-invite sila ng pulis for questioning, sinabi lahat ng mga pangyayari ng gabing iyon base sa mga pagtatanong ng mga pulis," lawyer Alfred Molo, Failon's counsel, told radio dzMM. (They said Failon was not cooperative with the police. He did not give complete details. But that night, they were invited by the police for questioning and he answered all the police's questions)
Molo was talking about the eight-hour stay of Failon and all the other members of his household at the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal on Wednesday night, the same day the broadcaster's wife, Trinidad Arteche-Etong, was found critically wounded inside his home in Tierra Pura Subdivision.
Failon and his household's members were taken to the police headquarters after 11 p.m.. Failon was the last to leave the police station past 7 a.m. Thursday.
"Despite executing sworn statements, they were still accused of not being cooperative," Molo said.
Molo said Failon, his household helpers and sister-in-law, Pamela Arteche-Trinchero, will file their answers to the police's complaint of obstruction of justice before Quezon City Prosecutor Mary Jean Pamitan at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
He said he expects the prosecutor to issue a resolution on the case in 10 days.
Police accused Failon's group of obstruction of justice for cleaning the blood at the bathroom, where the news anchor's wife was found.
Househelpers Pacifico Apacible and Wilfreda Bollicer also cleaned the trail of blood on the floor of Failon's home. The others charged for obstruction justice were Failon's driver, Glenn Polan, and housemaid Carlota Morbos.
Apacible had admitted in a sworn statement that he was the one who took the gun used in the alleged suicide.
He said that from the bathroom, he brought the gun back to its hiding place inside the master's bedroom.