Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chief Bambol Tolentino defended the Ethics Committee’s recommendation to declare Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Juico as persona non grata following the national sports association’s (NSA) rejection of the said decision.

Tolentino said the Ethics Committee “acted within its inherent power which is to determine if the conduct of a member of the POC... is ethical, professional and acceptable to the organization.”

“Based on the complaint and evidence presented, his (Juico) conduct towards (EJ) Obiena who is a very promising athlete is unethical of the provisions of the by-laws of the POC,” Tolentino told Manila Bulletin.

Tolentino also said that Obiena’s complaint is not an intra-NSA dispute but about the conduct of Juico as Patafa president for the way he treated an athlete.

“If a president of a member of the NSA is not in one with the aim and purpose of the POC to protect and take care of the welfare of the athletes, then he does not deserve the recognition of the POC, as simple as that,” Tolentino said.

The Ethics Committee’s recommendation stemmed from Obiena’s complaint that he was harassed after being accused of allegedly misusing government funds intended for his Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov.

Juico, however, said it was the Patafa board, not him, which asked for the investigation of the said questionable liquidation documents regarding Petrov’s coaching fees.

Tolentino said the POC executive board merely exercised its prerogative to declare Juico as persona non grata based on the recommendation of its Ethics Committee.

“Any organization cannot be forced to accept a person who is not acceptable to the organization,” Tolentino said.