"The Arrests Could Have Contributed to Trina's Deterioration" - Dr. Adonis Gascon, Attending Neurosurgeon of Trinidad Etong

17 April 2009 10:31pm

I was watching TV Patrol early this evening and the neurosurgeon who attended to Trinidad "Trina" Etong, wife of ABS-CBN broadcaster Ted Failon, Dr. Adonis Gascon said the arrests effected by police authorities on the sister and brother of Trina yesterday "could have contributed to the deterioration of the patient."  

This is the closest that any medical professional who was intimately involved with the medical care of then comatose patient Trina Etong has come to affirming the views previously expressed by Kaye Failon.  

Looking back at the arrests effected at the New Era General Hospital and the excessive force that attended them, one cannot but wonder why the police didn't just post their personnel in the hospital so as to avert a controversy.  Had they done that, Trinidad "Trina" Etong might still be alive.  At least that's what Kaye Failon and Dr. Gascon are possibly insinuating by their statements.  

The way things stand now, the police personnel who effected the arrest could be accountable for their role in somehow hastening the death of Trinidad "Trina" Etong.  

A condoling public that has seen and will continue to see in the next several days disturbing video footages of the arrests is slowly becoming enraged.  Malacañang has belatedly issued a statement to let the Failon family alone in their time of grief.  It looks too little and too late.  "Aanhin pa ang damo, kung patay na ang kabayo!"

What is alarming is that the police led by Superintendent Franklin Mabanag displayed their rude behavior in plain public view and on camera which they knew would be aired on national TV.  You call that plain chutzpah!  Police officers who believe they can do anything in the manner they want it done.  The Filipino nation should not let them get away with it!

"Tulungan n'yo po kami! Pinaglalaruan po nila kami!  Wala silang awa! Wala silang awa sa amin!"  These words of Kaye Failon were aired at TV Patrol and at Showbiz News Ngayon (SNN), the entertainment program hosted by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The tragic loss of Trinidad "Trina" Etong is an irreplaceable loss in the Failon family.  Nothing will bring Trina back to life again.  But her death will have meaning if the persecution being suffered by the Failon family will be met with righteous indignation by a nation that is fed up with police corruption and brutality.  Itigil na natin 'yan.  

Kapamilya man o kapuso, puwede bang magkaisa na tayong mga Pinoy?! 

Pwede kaya nating makita sina Mr. Gabby Lopez ng ABS-CBN at Atty. Felipe Gozon ng GMA-7 na magkatabi sa isang press conference at sabay humihiling ng paggalang sa karapatan ng Failon family mula sa mga awtoridad? At paggalang na rin sa karapatang pantao ng lahat ng Pilipino! Sabihan natin itong mga abusadong pulis na involved sa kasong ito, "Kami nagpapasweldo sa inyo! Gawin ninyo nang may paggalang ang trabaho n'yo. Serbisyo at hindi abuso ang gusto naming makita mula sa inyo!"

Sa larangan ng pangunguna, mahalaga ang papel ng Channel 2 at Channel 7 dahil pinanonood sila ng 92 milyong Pilipino.  Yung sinasabi n'yong pagkakaisa ay lubha nating kailangan ngayon.  Tara na't ipakita natin sa buong mundo na sa panahon ng kagipitan, kaya nating tanggalin ang rivalry at magkaisa!  Para sa bayan! Kapamilya at Kapuso, Magiging Isa! Kaisa ng Sambayanang Pilipino sa katwiran at kaunlaran!

At kapag nagawa natin 'yan, babalik ang kapirasong katinuan sa bayang ito na sana'y pagmulan na nang tuloy-tuloy na makabuluhang pagbabago at wala tayong ibang papupurihan kundi ang Panginoon! 

To God be the glory!