Police Harassment, Warrantless Arrest and The Suicide of Ted Failon’s Wife
If You’re Filipino or Have Lived in the Philippines long enough… I’m sure you can define “Police Brutality” quite well…
I start this post by saying “I condemn the way the police department treated Ted Failon and his family while they’re grieving a family member’s death”. Take it from someone who lost a loved one in the past… the way the Police handled the “warrantless arrest” and the apparent harassment on Ted Failon and his family while Treena Failon was dying in New Era Hospital in Quezon City.
Some questions on my mind while watching the way the policemen hauled, cuffed and dragged the family members and other loved ones while Treena Failon was dying (she died 8:50 tonight)…
Don’t they teach MANNERS in the Philippine Police Academy?
Are these policemen so powerful that they’re ABOVE the law (warrant-less is warrant-less… go figure)
Yes, people of the world, this is how LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS in the Philippines operate… they throw something like “obstruction of justice” in your face, cuff you, drag you to a car, DO NOT READ YOU your rights (you have the right to remain silent…you have the right to an attorney…etc) and haul you off regardless of the situation and regardless if you’re asking for 5 minutes to talk to a dying relative.
To those who don’t know, Ted Failon is a prominent broadcaster here. Undoubtedly, he has a lot of enemies. Now, this could or could not have been a motive to the way the law enforcement officers treated him and his family, but one thing’s clear… they did not DESERVE to be treated that way by anyone.
It’s amazing how even the media people at ABS-CBN where Ted Failon works jumped to cover everything. I think they sympathize with the broadcaster because this type of thing could happen to anyone… not just to prominent personalities.
Can the law come in and suspend someone please?
If I remember right, Ted Failon has a radio show promoting Philippine laws and people’s rights. Isn’t it ironic how, during the darkest hour of his life, he’s being HARASSED by agents of the justice system he has been talking about over the radio and on television for years?
Just when I planned on promoting a new ‘retire in the Philippines’ blog, another police-related harassment issue erupts. How can people love this country when the same entity that’s supposed to protect our rights is the one that goes on a POWER TRIP when ordinary people are in pain. Yes, I said power trip.
Suspects are not criminals. Suspects and EVERYONE else have human rights… but we are all helpless when these men and women who don the blue uniform take the law as their OWN and just start using it.
Here’s a video of Ted Failon’s Story