Maria Teresa Carlson

Maria Teresa Gerodias Carlson (October 15, 1963 – November 23, 2001) was a Filipina-American actress and beauty pageant contestant.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Gerodias and the surname or paternal family name is Carlson.
Maria Teresa Carlson
Born
Maria Teresa Gerodias Carlson

(1963-10-15)October 15, 1963
Manila, Philippines
DiedNovember 23, 2001(2001-11-23) (aged 38)
San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
Other names
  • Tere
  • Maria
Occupations
  • Actress
  • beauty pageant contestant
Years active1980–1994
Spouse
​
(m. 1983)​
Children8 (2 daughters and 6 sons)

Early life

Carlson was born in Manila but grew up in San Francisco, California. At 16, she decided to stay in the Philippines when her family came on a visit. In 1979, she won Miss Young Philippines and represented the country in the Miss Young International Pageant in Tokyo.[1]

Career

She starred in several films, including comedies with Chiquito, Redford White, and with the trio of Tito, Vic and Joey. She popularized the line "Si Ako, Si Ikaw" on the hit sitcom Chicks to Chicks.

Personal life

In 1983, Carlson married Rodolfo Fariñas. They have six children — one girl and five boys: Ria Christina (born 1984), Ryan Christopher, Rudys Caesar I, Rudys Caesar II, Rodolfo Jr. (+) and Rodolfo III. Before Carlson, Rodolfo Fariñas also has other two children from a previous relationship with Janet Murff, namely Rica Camille and Rey Carlos.

Allegations of domestic violence against husband

In a Probe Team interview in October 1996, Carlson accused her husband, then the governor of Ilocos Norte, of domestic violence. She narrated:

"At the start, there would be occasional slapping on the face, physical abuse, beatings. He will box you... all over. I was subjected to water torture. I had a gun at me in my mouth... a wet towel all over my face, pour [sic] Sprite, 7-Up or continuous water... "I do not wish to embarrass him. I do not want humiliate him. I'm not out just for any money. I'm even willing to give up everything. I just want my freedom, and my independence. I want my annulment and I want what's due to me as my constitutional rights as a Filipino."[1]

A week after, she appeared on the television program Magandang Gabi, Bayan, with her husband beside her and took back everything she had said against him. She told host Noli de Castro that she was just feeling insecure. "Baka dahil buntis po ako. Hindi ako maganda sa kanya. Puro motherhood, puro housewife na lang."[1]

Before the 1996 allegations, Carlson had sought help from others.[1]

Husband's response

Fariñas has reportedly denounced the women's organization KALAKASAN that intervened in Carlson's defense and accused the organization of "being lesbian-dominated".[2]

Death

Carlson was pushed off the balcony from the 23rd floor of the Platinum 2000 condominium on November 23, 2001 in Greenhills, San Juan City.[1] Carlson's maid said hours before her death, she and Carlson went to Malacañan Palace and tried to see President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to show a video tape, which allegedly showed Carlson's husband hurting one of their children, who is a godson of Arroyo. She said Carlson was shouting "Rochille, bilisan mo, takbo! Hinahabol nila tayo (Rochille, hurry up! They're after us)!" and ran out of her room.[3] The couple was estranged at the time of her death.

Legacy

Task Force Maria is a coalition of at least 23 women's and people's organizations formed after Carlson's suicide. TFM took the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to task for failing to act on Carlson's publicized disclosures, and later worked to reconcile two domestic violence bills in Congress in a unity bill. On March 8, 2004, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act. It shields victims with protection orders without having to file a case in court. It recognizes the battered woman syndrome as a defense.[4]

Filmography

Movies
Year Title Role
1980 Wander Woman Si Ako! Wander Woman
Six Million Centavo Man
1982 Si Ako at... Tres Muskiteros! Maria
Forgive and Forget Inez
Mga Alagad ng Kuwadradong Mesa Lady Di-Nabale
1983 Wrong Mistake
Johnny Tanggo Rides Again... Tatanga-tanga, Dakila Naman
1985 High Blood
1994 Iligpit Si Victor Saraza

Television
Year Title Role Network
1984–1989 Chicks to Chicks Tere IBC/ABS-CBN

References
  1. The Unsung Struggle of Maria Theresa Carlson The Unsung Struggle of Maria Theresa Carlson
  2. Philippines: Act Now Against Violence Against Women
  3. Ma. Teresa Carlson leaps to her death from SJ apartment
  4. "RA 9262 makes abuse of women and children a crime". Archived from the original on 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
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