Death of Ted Failon’s Wife: Suicide?

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(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.

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

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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.

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My Magic Shawls And Letting Go

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My husband stared at the couch by the bay window and sighs “look at what the cats did!@!*! The damage to the leather is getting worse everyday.”

We have three lovable furry felines in our household and they give me so much comfort when the house is empty. I cuddled my pet kitty to my chest and stroked her smooth white fur as I tried to think of something.

I held his hand “Missy gives me joy. Don’t worry, my shawl will hide the worn leather.”

He continues to rant because he can’t help seeing the frayed couch day in and day out. Oh well, I think it is an excuse to re-upholster the couch, as I continue to think of solutions.

Then he wandered off to the living room and pointed out the base of the lounge in tatters.

Seeing my husband’s exasperated look, I comfort him once again “My shawl will hide all that. Don’t worry. I have lots of shawl”. My wide collection of pretty shawls from China, Divisoria, India and Pakistan came in handy. I picked an olive-green shawl and demonstrated the look of the couch and the lounge chair as it hid the torn and ragged leather. My husband nods.

Perfect!

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The Bloggers Credentials & Credibility in Filipino Voices

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When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.
Wayne Dyer

My husband is not a very patient man whenever I ask questions concerning politics. He always tells me to read the news report or the Opinion Columns. Sipping coffee and feasting on my heaviest meal of the day is never complete without reading a newspaper. Another daily routine is reading Filipino Voices (FV) usually during lunch or dinner time. You can say, that newspapers are my breakfast fare while Filipino Voices, my dessert.

I like to enrich myself with varied opinions when it comes to the current events, politics and national issues that are not normally found in the newspaper. The thing is Filipino Voices are composed of bloggers from all walks of life. When I first read the entries of the FV bloggers, it never entered my mind to check on their credentials. I simply read their blog entries and if I have something to contribute, I comment. If I had nothing to contribute, I just move on to the next entry and so on and so forth.
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A Mom’s Graduation Speech

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“Your children will see what you’re all about by what you live rather than what you say.” Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Nope this is not a graduation ceremony. Mom bloggers meet up with Raqgold, fellow mom blogger from Germany.

I am in another joyful phase of motherhood, more relaxed and laid back. When the kids were pretty much younger, my group of moms and I used to hang out after school whenever it was time to pick our kids. Every time the school year ends, we often joke each other…”hey, we are graduating from preschool to elementary school” or when we got older, “hey, have you graduated to high school?” and so on and so forth. Having all my kids out of college is huge milestone for me. More time to travel. More time to be by myself. More time to be with friends. More time to pursue passions that I couldn’t venture to when I was a hands-on mom.

I feel like giving my own graduation speech with me as the only audience because I deserve a pat at the back. Mothers deserve a round of applause for a job well done.

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It’s Been 40 days since the Death of Amiel Alcantara

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Dying is a wild night and a new road.
~Emily Dickinson

Remember Amiel Alcantara? Well, it has been 40 days since his sudden death?


One of the things so astonishing and costly about losing a loved one is that, while the sun continues to rise and set, newspapers continue to be delivered, traffic lights till change from red to green and back again,our whole life is turned around, turned upside down.

And life does go on but we can still continue to remember our loved ones on special days through candle lighting, rituals, customs, simple rites or ceremonies. Today, on the 40th day since his death, a marker was blessed on the spot where Amiel was struck by a van.

The marker reads:

The Ateneo de Manila Grade School Members
MASTER JULIAN CARLO MIGUEL “AMIEL” ALCANTARA
who was called to the Lord on February 24, 2009.
We Thank him for the gift that he had been to all of us,
for teaching us to love, and cherish life, and
for bringing us all together as a community in prayer ,
with a renewed promise to nurture and care for each other,
as we journey for persons for others.
Blessed on the 40th day of his entrance to glory

April 5, 2009
Palm Sunday

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Message to the Graduating UP Students of Kamia Residence Hall

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I didn’t plan to write this entry just yet as I am saddled with a backlog of other blog posts that I thought were more relevant. In fact, this event I am about to elaborate transpired a week ago. Old news, I pondered. But something happened just now as I poured over the photos I took last week and I am so touched.

See, a week ago, Kenny Tabayocyoc, a council member of Kamia Residence Hall at the UP Diliman Campus invited me to be their guest speaker for (Thank God It’s Summer), A Tropical Confluence Dinner. Part of the program is an inspirational message to be given by an alumnae of the dorm. Of course, I wanted to help them out. After all, Kamia was my first home away from home. I felt like traversing on a trip down memory lane. It wasn’t a convenient date though. I had to leave by 7:00 PM because it was Lauren’s 23rd birthday celebration. Things don’t always happen as planned. Rains delayed the program that was slated at the Kamia parking lot and the organizers were busy setting up the tables and chairs.

While waiting for the program to start, Kenny brought me inside Kamia Residence Hall for the first time in many years. The tile floors by the door looked worn from the passage of time as thousands of footwear scrubbed the tile color down to a grayish slab of cement. Wasn’t it 33 years ago since I last stepped foot at the door? I saw that a phone booth still hangs by the wall and today there are two. I clearly remember those days when a queue formed as residents tried to make a call. I remember the dagger looks aimed at this one resident who kept yakking away ignoring the queue of girls awaiting their turn to whisper sweet nothings to their steadies.

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Congratulations to Successful Examinees of the 2008 Bar Exams

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Here is the list of the 2008 Bar exam results

(Source: Inquirer) or view the list of the bar exam results below:

Congratulations to 1,310 examinees who passed the 2008 Bar Exams. The stress of waiting is over.

Congrats to Judy Lardizabal from San Sebastian College who garnered an average score of 85.70 percent. I know that all Lardizabals are related so am I am happy for my distant relative.

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Beheaded But Always Remembered

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Breaking News: Mary Jean Lacaba, the Filipina Red Cross Worker Freed.

I don’t feel the same outrage towards the Chip Tsao slur compared to the possibility that the Red Cross workers could get beheaded. Everyday as I watch the news, I feel helpless as threats to their lives escalate. Breaking news is that Mary Jean Lacaba, Filipina Red Cross worker has been released after more than 70 days in captivity. She was found near Indanan town and is now being transported to a trauma treatment center in Jolo. Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni continue to be held hostage by the Al Qaeda linked terrorist organization. The threat to the remaining two Red Cross Workers remains.

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Takbong Pangarap: Joy Rojas is Running Across America

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Bloggers Meet and Greet with Joy Rojas on April 18. Please sign up here here

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao-tzu

I remember running (half-walking) in that Island Cove “Amazing Race”. I remember feeling proud that I made it that far. I felt proud as I saw the distance I traversed. Now I finally understand runners like my friend Cathy and Pia as they inch closer and closer to their goals. I am not surprised that Joy Rojas will run 5,000 kilometers in 120 days, through 12 states and four time zones in the United states of America.

I first met Joy Rojas in early 2006 when she interviewed me and two of my friends for The Compassionate Friends. Her article came out in the Sunday Inquirer which paved the way for the awareness of my support group. The success of the article comforted so many bereaved parents and eventually inspired me to be a blogger so I could spread the awareness further.

Now I want to give back, and help Joy achieve her dream.

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