PATAFA na ang bahala kay EJ Obiena - PSC

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | January 25, 2022

Nasa kamay na umano ng Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association ang magiging sunod na aksyon hinggil sa desisyon ni Olympic pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena na tumangging sumailalaim sa mediation process na pinamunuan ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Ayon kay PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, pag-uusapan pa ng PSC Board ngayong Martes ang bagong aksyon at pahayag ng 26-anyos na 2019 SEA Games Games gold medalist sa social media account ang desisyong hindi mapabilang sa mediation na hiniling ng PSC katulong ang Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. (PDRCI).

“The board will discuss it baka bukas. Still no word yet from chairman (William Ramirez),” saad ni Iroy sa mensahe sa Bulgar Sports sa online messaging. “It’s with PATAFA the next move.”

Kasunod ito ng bagong statement na inilabas ng World No.6 pole vaulter sa socmed tungkol sa kawalan ng tiwala sa presidente ng kanyang mother federation. Inaakusahan nitong isang palabas lang ang mediation dahil pursigido pa ring sampahan siya ng kasong Estafa at wala umanong gustong mailagay sa mapayapang usapan ang problema.

“I have lost faith in my NSA president, but I have not lost faith in our country and our country’s true sport leaders. I trust that they will set aside politics and do what is right and good for the country. If all else fail, then my NSA would have succeeded in pushing me out of the country. I would be forced to step away from Philippine Athletics. It is with great regret that I am forced to officially withdraw from the PSC offer of mediation due to the bad faith of Mr. Juico and PATAFA,” pahayag ni Obiena sa Facebook post. “It is a recipe for failure to enter into mediation with one party is in BAD FAITH; PATAFA was in bad faith this whole time as they signed the mediation with their true intention to still pursue the filing of a baseless criminal case of ESTAFA against me. PATAFA has said they want a peaceful resolution, but their actions prove this as a LIE. You cannot have peace while pointing a gun at the other guys’s head and say “let’s have a peaceful resolution”.

This is the exact opposite of good faith mediation,” dagdag ni Obiena sa kanyang post nitong Lunes.

Ayon sa isang mapagkakatiwalaang source, sakaling tuluyang magsampa ng kaso ang PATAFA kay Obiena ng mga kasong Estafa at Falsification of liquidation documents ay kinakailangan munang lumabas ang findings ng COA. “Yet, they can’t file a case, kasi kailangan pa ng findings ng COA if there are irregularities.

Malalaman yan after COA audit,” sabi ng source. “But administratively, it’s within PATAFA prerogative.”