In the spirit of fairness on the case of national pole vaulter and Olympian Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, the Senate sports committee will issue a show cause order to Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) board of directors on why they should not be cited for contempt.

‘’After which, we will have another hearing to decide on the next course of action’’ which is to act on the motion of senators to cite PATAFA in contempt for filing an arbitration case in Switzerland despite ongoing mediation proceedings, Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go, committee chairman, on Thursday, March 17 said.

The mediation process was agreed upon during the Senate committee hearing held last February 7 for the parties involved to amicably settle their differences.

Yesterday, four senators filed a motion before the Go sports committee to cite the 17-man PATAFA board in contempt for not complying with a Senate motion that the PATAFA board sit down with Obiena and settle their differences.

The four senators are Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and Senators Pia S. Cayetano, Panfilo M. Lacson and Francis Tolentino.

‘’We are determined to help resolve this issue and protect the welfare of our athletes in a fair manner and in accordance to our rules,’’ Go said.

‘’Kaya nakikiusap ako sa lahat na isantabi na muna ang pansariling interes at resolbahin ang mga hindi pagkakaunawaan alang-alang sa bansang ating nirerepresenta sa bawat laban (I asked all sides to set aside personal interests and resolve the misunderstanding (between Obiena and PATAFA) and protect the country that athletes represent). Huwag na sana haluan ng pulitika ang sports dahil walang panalo sa hidwaan na ito. Dahil sa hindi pagkakaunawaan ng magkabilang panig, ang sambayanang Pilipino ang talo (I hope that politics should not be mixed in the sports world. The country will end up the loser if both sides do not settle),’’ he added.

In an interview after the soft opening of Davao Occidental General Hospital in Malita on Tuesday, March 15, Go reiterated his disappointment amid the conflict between PATAFA and Obiena which hindered the latter from competing in the World Athletics Indoor Championships to be held in Belgrade, Serbia this month

“Ako po, full support ako sa mga atleta. Pero sana naman po tama na po ‘yung pulitika. Ang ibig sabihin, kung maaari po ay magkaisa kayo para sa ating bansa dahil may mga future competitions pa tayong inaasahan at may potential po itong si Obiena,” Go appealed.

Go had earlier led a joint meeting of the Senate Committees on Sports and Finance regarding the PATAFA-Obiena row wherein it was recommended for the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to work closely with the National Sports Associations (NSA) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to ensure that the rift would be resolved immediately and to avoid similar conflicts in the future.

The senator then reassured that the welfare of Filipino athletes and the development of sports in the country remain as one of his priorities. He also stressed that he will continue looking into possible measures that would benefit more Filipino athletes and prevent similar conflicts from recurring.

He stressed that the athletes should be able to focus on their training instead of other matters that would distract them from achieving their goals.

Go stressed that training is ‘’mentally-draining’’ and the focus should be on training.

During the mediation hearing, Obiena showed evidence that he paid his foreign coach and was able to liquidate the sports funds he had received.

Four days after the order of senators that they enter into a mediation process, PATAFA filed a complaint before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.