Two members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Jan. 4 slammed as both “vengeful” and a demonstration of “arrogance” the decision of the Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association (PATAFA) led by its president Philip Juico to drop Olympian EJ Obiena from the national team and file an estafa case against him.
Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano issued separate statement condemning PATAFA’s twin decisions that came a few days after the Philippine Olympic Committee declared Juico ‘persona non grata’.
“As expected EJ was dropped from the national team by his NSA, it is a vengeful act,” said Tolentino, POC president.
In a unanimous vote the POC approved the recommendation of its Ethics Committee declaring Juico persona non grata. The PATAFA head will no longer be recognized as president of the NSA, said Tolentino.
“The ball is now with the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), will it allow EJ to be stricken off from the national team? Will the government allow a world-class athlete to be out of the national team?” asked Tolentino, who is widely credited for leading the country to its most outstanding medal finish in an Olympics competition during the 2020 Tokyo games.
As far as the POC is concerned, Tolentino said Obiena will continue to get their support as the lawmaker noted that he is the country’s best chance of winning more medals in international track and field competitions, including the Southeast Asian and the Asian games.
Valeriano described the PATAFA’s twin decision as the “height of indifference and arrogance.”
“Saan ba humuhugot ng kayabangan ang mga taong ito sa PATAFA? Tingin ba nila sa sarili nila ay mga Diyos na sa isang pitik lang ay basta patatalsikin ang World Number 3 Pole Vaulter at isang Olympian na gaya ni EJ Obiena? (Where do these PATAFA people get such arrogance. Do they believe they are God who, by the flip of finger can kick out the World No. 3 Pole Vaulter and an Olympian like EJ Obiena?” Valeriano asked.
Valeriano, vice chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, had authored a Lower House resolution proposing for a congressional inquiry into reports that Obiena was being harassed by the PATAFA.
Valeriano said Obiena, a resident of Tondo, is his constituent.
During a recent hearing conducted by the Lower House panel, Obiena maintained that his coach, Vitaly Petrov had been fully paid even as he noted that it was not part of his responsibility to make sure Petrov received his fee.
“Juico’s basis for this expulsion is that EJ allegedly misappropriated his coach’s salary. This, even though there is no evidence for it, as his coach even made a signed statement that he was fully paid,” Valeriano pointed out.