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Trinidad Arteche Etong

Death of Ted Failon’s Wife: Suicide?

(Update May 21- Trina Etong committed suicide–NBI )

It was just a matter of time yet the news of Ted Failon’s Wife death came as a shock. Trinidad Arteche Etong or Trina , died tonight at 8:50 PM. She died of cranial injury but was it due to homicide or suicide? Her daughter thinks that her mom tried to commit suicide. To lose a loved one to death is painful, to lose a loved one to suicide is also disorienting.

If it is suicide, it is a particularly cruel form of death for the surviving family and friends. Questions like : How could she have been so full of despair that she felt that death was preferable to life? Additionally, the family has to cope with the police, an inquest, and possibly the media, as well as the ever-present and unanswerable question ““Why?”. Suicide is a complicated loss.

Read More »Death of Ted Failon’s Wife: Suicide?

The Shooting of Ted Failon’s Wife (Update: Trinidad Arteche Etong Is Now Dead)

Ted Failon’s Wife is Now Dead

as of 8:50 PM, April 16

My deepest condolences to Ted Failon’s family.

Trinidad Arteche-Etong, the wife of veteran ABS-CBN newscaster Ted Failon, has been declared dead at 8:50 PM by doctors at the New Era General Hospital Thursday evening. She passed away about 20 minutes after doctors tried to revive her, Peter Musngi reported Thursday night over radio dzMM.

Source: Ted Failon’s Wife Dies from ABS CBN


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

My husband and I watched the video above and hubby immediately noticed that one piece of evidence, the “Suicide or apology note” is being handled by reporters. Shouldn’t the evidence be secured and tucked in a safe place? Talk about being responsible. Anyway, the note says this:

““”Papa, Im so so sorry gustong gusto ko pong magsabi sa yo ng totoo, pero hindi ko po alam kung papaano ko uumpisahan.

“Sobrang takot na takot po ako. Umalis po muna ako. Kasi hindi ko po kayang at nahihiya po ako sayo humarap.

“Sana po mapawad mo ako papa. Sorry, sorry Papa

Mama” [I want to tell the truth but I don’t know how to start. I was afraid that is why I left]…

Okay, I find it strange that the wife addresses Ted Failon as “po” so many times. Being Visayan, I might have made the wrong assumption on the usage of “po” since the “po” word is not part of my Cebuano dialect. Or she is just very respectful when she speaks in tagalog. I don’t know. There are just so many inconsistencies from the news reports. (see update below)

Update April 16 11:00 AM

“It was a self-inflicted incident. My mother tried to commit suicide by shooting herself in the head,” said Kaye Etong in an interview over dzMM.

She added that the supposed letter from her mother bore her true handwriting.

“I know my mother’s handwriting. Nung nakita ko ‘yung kopya ng sulat, alam kong sulat po ‘yun ni Mama (When I saw a copy of the letter, I know Mama’s handwriting),” said the daughter, adding that the use of the words ““po” and ““opo” was normal for her mother.

(Source: ‘My mom tried to commit suicide’ )

As of this writing (10:00 PM, April 15), there is no official report from the SOCO [Scene of Crime Operatives]. News Report cite that as of posting time, Trinidad Arteche Etong, 44, was brain dead.

Brain Dead.

Read More »The Shooting of Ted Failon’s Wife (Update: Trinidad Arteche Etong Is Now Dead)