Obiena, PATAFA willing to enter mediation with PSC, both camps tell Senate

Days after Olympian EJ Obiena withdrew from the mediation process offered by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) amid the ongoing row between him and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), the two camps on Monday said they are willing to give mediation another try.

In a senate inquiry regarding the two camps' rift conducted by the Committee on Sports joint with Finance, PATAFA chairman and Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Obiena answered in the affirmative when asked by Sen. Bong Go if they are willing to undergo PSC's mediation process.

"We agree that there will be mediation, and from that mediation which we have been wanting to really occur but unfortunately, twice na naudlot 'yung mediation because the other party did not want to. Yes, we would like to go even by tomorrow, President [Philip] Juico is willing or I am willing to go into mediation," Rodriguez said.

But will PATAFA , who previously recommended the expulsion of Obiena from the national pool, also allow the pole vaulter to be reinstated even before the mediation?

"As to reinstatement, of course that will be considered in the mediation. To reinstate Mr. Obiena is one of the options that will be done after the mediation. Because when the mediation is going to be held, it goes back to the [PATAFA] Board, because whatever Mr. Juico will agree to, it has to be passed by the Board," Rodriguez said, referring to the policy-making function of the PATAFA Board of Trustees.

"Certainly, we have been waiting for this, we can start the mediation and we will consider the reinstatement of Obiena after the mediation and the Board will take into account what is recommended by the mediation," he added.

Sen. Francis Tolentino then asked PATAFA if it would be better to reinstate Obiena in the pool even before the mediation as a sign of good faith.

Rodriguez then clarified PATAFA's previous decision to expel Obiena from the pool was "rescinded" and "suspended" following previous attempts for mediation.

"So far now, he is not expelled. He is a member of the PATAFA," Rodriguez said. "The status quo ante now is that we go to mediation because we have not enforced the decision of the Board," he said.

Obiena, meanwhile, said he is "all in" about the mediation.

"My only take is, I believe, going into mediation, there should be a sign of reconciliation and a sign that they actually want this," the pole vaulter said.

"In my understanding, putting me back as a national team member, I believe that, as Sen. Tolentino said, is a sign of good faith," he added.

He also said that he is "more than willing to put this aside and move on and hopefully continue to train and compete for the Philippines in the next few years."

The first PSC mediation was offered back in November 2021, but in December, the pole vaulter said he would have wanted to finish the probe being conducted then by the Philippine Olympic Committee.

On January 11, PATAFA formally agreed to a mediation, but on January 24, Obiena's camp said they will withdraw from the offer due to "bad faith" of PATAFA and its president Philip Juico.

—MGP, GMA News