MANILA, Philippines—After a month-long inquiry into the shooting death of Trinidad “Trina” Etong, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed what its agents have been saying all along: The wife of ABS-CBN star broadcaster Ted Failon committed suicide.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring announced at a news conference Thursday that a major depressive disorder caused by massive financial losses drove Etong to put a gun to her head on April 15 in her Tierra Pura house in Quezon City. She died in the hospital the following day.

Mantaring skated around questions on the amount of money involved or details of the financial losses or how they were incurred, citing purported bank secrecy laws.

He said that the NBI came to the conclusion that Etong “indeed committed suicide” after a “careful perusal of the testimonial evidence and conscientious evaluation.”

“The NBI, supported by all its findings and investigative leads, has now established and concludes that no other person was present, or was with Trina inside the bathroom the moment the trigger was pulled and that the victim has the capability, motive and means of doing such act,” he said.

The NBI took over the case on April 21 after the Quezon City police roughly treated Failon—Mario Teodoro Failon Etong in real life—and some members of his household, suspecting the broadcaster of killing his wife and accusing him of obstructing the investigation—a charge subsequently thrown out by a prosecutor.

The takeover followed a decision by the National Police Commission to suspend several senior police officers.

The “psychological autopsy” particularly swayed the result, according to the report released by Mantaring, which basically affirmed what NBI agents had been revealing in background briefings to reporters.

The report said that during the 25-year marriage, Etong managed the family finances. Failon gave his salary to his wife, who gave him his everyday allowance, allowing some savings in the bank.

Time deposit gone

“A month before the incident, Ted casually asked Trina regarding the certificate of time deposit of one of their savings. Initially, Ted received no clear answer from Trina, but Ted kept on reminding Trina of his query every now and then until finally, Trina promised Ted that she would give to him their bank statements on April 3,” it said.

Edward Villarta, chief of the NBI National Capital Region, said Etong’s friend, Jocelyn “Joy” Tan, gave a picture of her state of mind.

On April 2, Etong visited Tan in her home in San Juan City, where she divulged her financial losses and disclosed her wanting to die instead of facing Failon to inform him how she had withdrawn all the money that he had entrusted to her.

On April 3, Tan said Etong called her to borrow a copy of a time deposit certificate where she planned to make alterations and give it to Failon. The plan never materialized, she said, out of fear that Failon would discover the fraud and get angry.

On April 14, Tan recalled Etong telling her that it would be their last meeting. She also said, “Remember this Joy, when I die do not cry. I love you very, very much.”

‘Sorry’ note

In his statement, Failon reported that he found on April 14 Etong’s purported “sorry note,” along with a bank statement showing almost nothing.

Before going to work on the morning of April 15, the day of the incident, Failon was able to talk to Etong through the locked door of the guest room but got no explanation on what happened to the bank savings.

“Ted also asked Trina if she was swindled which Trina answered no and it was just she was helping other people,” the report said.

On April 15, in Failon’s phone conversation with Etong, she reportedly told the broadcaster: “Papa, wala na akong mukhang ihaharap sa iyo … wala na, Papa, wala nang lahat ng naipon mo … Sorry, Papa. Sorry talaga (I don’t have the face to show you, no more, all that you’ve saved is gone).”

This reportedly drove Failon, who was in his ABS-CBN booth for his morning radio talk show, to rush home without finishing his program.

Villarta said the purported suicide note matched the handwriting of Etong.

Parricide angle

Villarta also said investigators studied every possibility that the trigger was pulled by another person.

“We looked at the angle that Pamela (Etong’s sister) killed her, but the two are very close. They treated each other like mother and daughter. We looked at the parricide angle, but Ted did not have the luxury of time to do all those things,” Villarta revealed.

On her depressive disorder, experts said Etong looked sad and remorseful over losing the family savings, had insomnia, and had expressed feelings of guilt and worthlessness and often talked to friends about committing suicide.

Failon’s lawyer, Alfred Molo, told reporters that his client wanted to “take a break first and spend quality time with his kids” but may soon file charges against police officers who violated his rights and those of his household members.

“We are very relieved that the results of the investigation have been released. It showed the truth that we have been saying. At the same time, he is still not happy. The fact remains, that his wife is gone … It is a tragedy in itself,” Molo said.

Allow Ted to grieve

In a statement, Vice President Noli de Castro, a close friend of Failon, said:

“I believe that justice was attained in this case and truth prevailed. I admire the (NBI) for proceeding with the case with utmost integrity, impartiality and high degree of professionalism.

“I never doubted Ted’s love for his family. I just hope that everyone will now allow Ted and his family to grieve the death of Trina and finally put the case behind them.”

Early this month, Failon overcame another hurdle when the Quezon City prosecutor office dismissed the obstruction of justice charges the Quezon City police filed against him.

Police took Failon into custody on the night of the incident for allegedly blocking their inquiry and tampering with evidence.

Police issues

Supt. Franklin Moises Mabanag said at the time he was not ruling out foul play, noting that Failon had allegedly ordered his househelp to clean the bathroom where his bloodied wife was found and that the gun used, a Walther PPK, was also cleaned.

The following day, charges of obstruction of justice were filed against Failon, his sister-in-law Pamela Arteche and four househelp—Carlota Morbos, Wilfreda Bollicer, Pacifico Apacible and Glen Pulan.

They were charged for their failure to report to authorities the shooting of Etong and the cleaning of the crime scene, as well as the vehicle used to transport the wounded victim to the hospital.

Let it be

Mabanag also noted that the point of ricochet behind the toilet bowl near the area where Etong had supposedly sat was not at level with the bullet’s supposed entry point.

“Our investigation was not completed and it’s still open, but I will not dispute the NBI result,” he said. “If they say it was suicide, then let it be it.” With reports from Julie Aurelio, Cynthia D. Balana, Nancy Carvajal and Kate Pedroso, Inquirer Research