Obiena camp mulls charges 'against those who have wronged' him and family

EJ Obiena and his legal team are now mulling filing charges against the "people who have wronged" him and his family, amid the pole vaulter's ongoing rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).

Obiena's legal spokesperson Atty. Bobbet Bruce said they are studying pressing either slander or libel charges against the personalities behind the inclusion of his mother Jeanette in the issue.

"Our legal team is also preparing our cases for people who have wronged EJ Obiena and his family. It's all being studied now. His mom's name has been also dragged into this, she's being accused of taking money also. And she was accused publicly," Bruce said in an interview with GMA News Online.

"Her name was mentioned so many times during the [PATAFA] press conference so we are looking at that. So if there's a reason for us to file a case, then we will also file the appropriate action."

In a press conference on Tuesday, PATAFA said that Obiena's mother, who is a former auditor of the athletics body, "misappropriated the amount of P624,116.76 she claimed from the PSC under pretext that is a reimbursement of the coaching fee paid to Vitaly Petrov for the months of January 2019 to March 2019."

"The Estafa filed by PATAFA, these are funds coming from PATAFA. And those coming from PSC and public funds, we will refer that to PSC and to COA with our reports and attachments so that they’ll be the ones to file the case against EJ Obiena and Jeanette Obiena, the mother," said Felix Tiukinhoy, a member of PATAFA board of trustees, in the presscon.

The camp of the younger Obiena vowed not to let these allegations against his mother slide.

"If they accused her of stealing money during the presscon, then it's slander. If it's written, it could be libel. We're still looking at everything," Bruce said.

"We are very careful with these things because it affects people's lives."

Focused on charges

Bruce said Obiena's legal team remains focused on the charges that PATAFA plans to file against the world no. 6 pole vaulter. The association said it is set to file a criminal complaint for estafa against Obiena for mishandling its funds in the amount of 6,000 EUR (P360,000).

Obiena has repeatedly denied the charges, and said he is ready to face them in court.

"We have no choice but to respond and prepare a good defense for EJ. Our legal team led by Atty. [Alex] Avisado is confident that we will come up with a good defense for EJ," Bruce said.

"We're just preparing because until there's a case, we cannot do anything."  —JST, GMA News