Pole vaulter EJ Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) have finally agreed to mediation following Monday’s online Senate inquiry involving the Committee on Sports joint with Finance.

The development came after both parties presented their cases to a number of Senate and sports officials for a little more than five hours.

Their ongoing dispute stemmed from Patafa accusing Obiena for alleged misuse of government funds.

“I’m all in,” Obiena said when the Senate asked if he was willing to sit down and discuss the issue with Patafa.

“I’ve said my piece and I’m more than willing to put this aside and move on... I just want to be reinstated as a national athlete and be able to represent the Philippines and handle my liquidation in a better system that would not go through me as what I have proposed to Patafa last August.”

Obiena hopes that in the mediation, “there should be a sign of reconciliation and a sign that they actually want this and my understanding, putting me back as a national team member which Sen. Francis Tolentino said a while ago as a sign of good faith.”

Patafa chairman Rufus Rodriguez also agreed to mediation – a fact that they had earlier agreed twice when Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) offered to step in between the two parties.

He also clarified that Patafa board’s decision to expel Obiena has been rescinded because there was mediation, and so far, he is not expelled.

“We have been waiting for this. We have been wanting to go into mediation but twice, naudlot,” Rodriguez said, referring to Obiena’s earlier decisions to politely withdraw from the process.

Sen. Bong Go reiterated the importance of mediation.

“I urge the PSC to mediate. Involve dito ang pera ng taumbayan. Trabaho ng atleta ang mag-compete. Trabaho din ng PSC na siguraduhing walang mawawala ni piso. I therefore urge the parties to settle the issues amicably because the longer this goes on, the longer the embarrassment it causes,” he said.

Sen. Franklin Drilon suggested leaving the liquidation issue to the Commission on Audit (COA).

“Whether or not there was a proper liquidation or if COA rules were complied is within the jurisdiction of COA. We cannot tell COA to stop investigating. Not even the Congress, or Mr. Juico or even the President of this republic can say, ‘Wag mong imbestigahan yan,’” he said.

“My point is, leave that (liquidation issue) to COA and between you (Obiena) and Mr. Juico, if we can have a solution, let’s help each other in COA later on. Let the matter of liquidation be left to COA because that is their constitutional duty, not ours.”