Carlson case: PNP won’t call Fariñas

There’s no need to summon former Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas to shed light on the death of his estranged wife, Ma. Te-resa Carlson, police said yesterday.

The testimony of Fariñas, who was in Laoag City at the time of Carlson’s death early Friday, is immaterial to the probe on whether Carlson committed suicide or if there was foul play, Superintendent Rodrigo de Gracia, San Juan police chief, said.

"There’s no need to summon (Fariñas) to shed light on his wife’s death," said De Gracia.

Earlier this year, Carlson appeared on TV and confessed she was a battered wife. But months later, she retracted her statement.

The day before her death, Carlson went to Malacañang carrying a videotape allegedly showing Fariñas beating up two of their children, one of whom was President Arroyo’s baptismal godchild.

There are reports that Carlson had twice tried to end her life because of the maltreatment she received from the former congressman. But Fariñas denied the accusations, saying his wife suffered from "severe bouts of hallucination."

De Gracia admitted he talked with Fariñas on the phone hours after Carlson apparently leapt from the 23rd floor of the 24-story Platinum 2000 building on Annapolis street in Greenhills, San Juan.

De Gracia said he did not invite Fariñas for questioning. "We did not talk about the case," De Gracia, a lawyer, clarified. "He just requested me to take care of the personal things and belongings of his wife and to look for (funeral) services."

Carlson was staying at the rented penthouse with a househelp, Rochille Flores, 27. Fariñas, on the other hand, was based in Laoag with their six children.

Flores said Carlson had been downing a number of pills and tablets which her employer described as her "vitamins."

She said Carlson was apparently hallucinating — imagining that someone was out to get her — before she ended her life.

But De Gracia did not yet rule out foul play in the former beauty queen and retired actress’ death.

He said he would invite for questioning other occupants and security guards of the condominium to determine who among them saw the fatal leap.

An initial autopsy of the Crime Laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed Carlson drank liquor before she died.

De Gracia said they were still awaiting the report of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) on the death of Carlson, whose broken body was found atop a third floor air vent.

Meanwhile, a woman’s group said couples should learn from the tragic death of Carlson.

Tess Burgono, women’s sector coordinator of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers, said Carlson was "clearly a victim of domestic violence."

"My sympathy is clearly with Teresa. She was pushed against the wall," Burgono, also national chairwoman of the Manggagawang Kababaihang Mithi ay Paglaya (MAKALAYA), said.

Women should learn to assert their rights against their husbands, who in turn must realize that physically hurting one’s wife is tantamount to killing her, Burgono added. "Dapat lang makonsiyensya sila (They must develop a conscience)," she said.

The former actress endeared herself to the public with her broken Tagalog in the defunct sitcom, "Chicks to Chicks."

Burgono noted that victims of spousal abuse, if pushed against the wall, would be either led to kill themselves or their abusers.

She added that spousal abuse is also prevalent among the urban poor. Unfortunately, Burgono, said, there is a lack of support system for victims. — With Nikko Dizon