Failon driver, maids face obstruction of justice charges - report

MANILA, Philippines - Obstruction of justice charges are being prepared against the driver and three house helpers of ABS-CBN news anchor Ted Failon over the shooting incident that seriously wounded Failon's wife, Trinidad Etong, a radio report said on Thursday. The four - driver Glen Polan, and helpers Carlota Morbos, Pacifico Apacible, and Wilfreda BUllecer - were taken to Camp Karingal in Quezon City and will be facing inquest before the Quezon City prosecutor. The report said the four could be charged with violation of Presidential Decree 1829 or the law penalizing the obstruction of apprehension and prosecution of criminal offender. On Wednesday, investigators were greeted with an already “cleaned up" scene of the incident. The bathroom where Failon's wife was reportedly found was cleaned. Even the vehicle used to rush her to the hospital had also been cleaned. According to police investigators, Failon’s house maids did the clean up at the bathroom, while Polan took care of the blood stains in the Pajero vehicle. The driver and the house helpers told police they did the clean up “on their own volition," according to Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit. “They say they were not directed by anybody. They did it by their own volition," said Mabanag. Even the gun, allegedly used in the shooting, passed hands, according to investigators, making it hard for the police to reconstruct the crime scene. “The firearm was taken by Glenn, and it was passed to Ted. All of these were removed from the crime scene so we are hard up in reconstructing how the victim was positioned thereat, including the place of the slugs and the empty shells," said Mabanag. - GMANews.TV