# Ted Failon

Mario Teodoro "Ted" Failon Etong (Tagalog:; born March 29, 1962) is a Filipino broadcast journalist and former politician. He served as a representative of the 1st district of Leyte from 2001 to 2004.
A broadcast journalist previously for ABS-CBN, he previously presented news for Radyo Patrol Balita Alas-Siyete alongside Noli de Castro, and on his own program Failon Ngayon sa DZMM. He also presented Hoy Gising!, the nightly news program TV Patrol from 2004 to 2020, and his own investigative program Failon Ngayon on television.

## Early life and education

Failon was born on March 29, 1962, to Jose Carson Etong, a jeepney driver, and Josefina Quibilan Failon, a market vendor.
Failon completed his elementary education at Sacred Heart High School in Tacloban in 1974. As a high school student, he worked as a room boy in Tacloban, a waiter, and a construction worker to help his family make ends meet. He completed his secondary education at Perpetual Help College of Rizal in Las Piñas in 1979. He later studied economics at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, during which he worked as a disc jockey (DJ), before transferring to Divine Word University to study mass communication. However, he did not complete his studies at either institution, as he also left school upon marriage in 1985. Failon finally graduated in 1996, earning his broadcast communication degree at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He also pursued law at the Arellano Law Foundation but did not finish the program.

## Career

Failon worked for DYPL-AM, based in Tacloban, as a driver and reporter in 1982, announcer and production head from 1983 to 1987, and station manager from 1987 to 1988. He later moved to Angeles City, where he became the program director of DWGV-FM from 1988 to 1990.
Failon joined ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in 1990 as a news desk editor. He later became a radio anchor for DZMM-AM and ABS-CBN News' executive producer and anchor. He later became the host and executive producer of the morning television show Hoy Gising. He became the radio news manager for DZMM in 1995. Although he had entered politics as representative of the 1st district of Leyte from 2001 to 2004, he continued at ABS-CBN as a part-time DZMM anchor and host of Good News on ANC.
After his congressional term, he returned as a full-time journalist for ABS-CBN as a DZMM anchor. He was named as anchor of the revamped TV Patrol World (now TV Patrol) in 2004. He later became the host of his own investigative program Failon Ngayon in 2009. On August 30, 2020, ABS-CBN management confirmed that Failon decided to part ways with the network. He made his final appearance on TV Patrol and Failon Ngayon sa TeleRadyo on August 31.
Failon signed with TV5 on September 11, 2020. He later became the host of Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa Radyo5 (now True FM) alongside Czarina Marie Guevara (widely known as DJ Chacha, also previously from ABS-CBN) on Radyo5 92.3 News FM (later 105.9 True FM effective November 2024). He and Guevara later became the hosts of Gud Morning Kapatid on TV5, where they appear for the hook up with the radio program's newscast segment.

## Personal life

Failon married Trinidad Arteche in 1985. The couple had two daughters: Kaye (born 1985) and Karishma (born 1996). In 2009, his wife, aged 44, committed suicide in their family residence in Quezon City.

### Investigation

In May 2009, the DOJ's Quezon City prosecutors’ office dismissed the Quezon City Police District criminal complaint for obstruction of justice against Failon, his driver, houseboy, nanny, housemaid and Trinidad’s sister Pamela Arteche. Earlier, Failon underwent criminal investigation in Camp Karingal. The NBI found Trinidad Arteche-Etong committed suicide. It sustained Failon's allegations that she committed suicide due to financial problems. The NBI's Neuro Psychiatric Section's psychological autopsy found Trinidad suffered constant insomnia with major depressive disorder. She suffered gunshot wound inside a bathroom of their house on No. 27 General Aquino Street, Tierra Pura Homes in Tandang Sora, Culiat, Quezon City in April 15 and died at the New Era General Hospital. In September 2011, an Information was filed against 5 Quezon City police officers with Judge Marie Christine Jacob, Quezon City Regional Trial Court, Branch 100 for violation of Section 2 (b), R.A. 7438. In March 2016, in a 22-page joint decision, Judge Genie Gapas-Agbada of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 100 acquitted Quezon City Police District’s CIDU Senior Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita, Chief Inspectors Cherry Lou Donato and Enrico Figueroa and Senior Inspector Roberto Razon.
In April 2014, advocacy group Kilusan Kontra Kabulukan at Katiwalian (4K) vehemently opposed the immediate conclusion of Trinidad Etong suicide case. 4K questioned the kasambahay's cleaning of the crime scene, the early and unexplained presence of Globe Asiatique's Delfin Lee before the arrival of the PNP SOCO and left-handed Trinidad's negativity for paraffin test or gunshot residue from the subject Walther PK380.

### Legal issues

In July 2020, the Court of Appeals's Justice Pablito A. Perez, Twelfth Division denied the defamation complaint filed by Senator Francis Tolentino against Failon. The 2017 case stemmed from Failon's commentary of possible misuse of public funds when MMDA Tolentino purchased used motorcycles. The appellate court ordered the Cavite Regional Trial Court, Branch 18 to dismiss the criminal proceedings.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court has dismissed the indirect contempt against Failon. The court held that Failon's interview in a pending case between Satur Ocampo and Leandro Mendoza with STRADCOM Corporation is not contumacious and protected by the freedom of speech.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award Giving Body | Category | Nominated Work | Results |
| 2000 | PMPC Star Awards for Television | Best Public Service Program Host | Hoy Gising! | Won |