PATAFA says it did not 'refuse' EJ Obiena endorsement, claims no due process in POC suspension

A day after a motion citing the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) in contempt was filed in the Senate, the national sports association (NSA) clarified some of the issues surrounding them in relation to their rift with Filipino Olympian and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

Senators Pia Cayetano, Vicente Sotto III, Francis Tolentino, and Panfilo Lacson filed a motion to cite PATAFA in contempt for allegedly violating an order to settle its dispute with Obiena.

In a statement, PATAFA emphasized they are an autonomous and private organization which follows its own structure and rules as promulgated by their international federation. "There are a multitude of legal remedies and avenues available to PATAFA at its discretion and which is not precluded by its decision to participate in the PSC mediation and other processes," it added.

PATAFA also laid out in its statement their claims regarding the basis of the senators' filing.

Clarifying one of the reasons in the filed motion, PATAFA said that it "did not refuse to endorse EJ Obiena in international competitions" but only deferred action while the mediation process is still ongoing.

Obiena will not be able to join the World Indoor Championships which will be held this month due to PATAFA's lack of endorsement.

The pole vault world no. 5 was also excluded by PATAFA in the roster for the Southeast Asian Games, although the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) added his name in the entry list.

"In the PATAFA letter dated February 28, 2022, PATAFA responded to EJ Obiena that it 'will not act on your letter dated February 24, 2022 pending completion of the mediation process organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC),'" a part of PATAFA's statement said.

PATAFA added, "The deferral of any action on EJ Obiena’s letter is consistent with the directive of the Senate Committee to undergo mediation, which PATAFA is currently participating in."

The athletics association also clarified that they are undergoing the PSC mediation, with the third attempt supposed to be held on March 17. However, PATAFA said the mediation was rescheduled “due to a prior scheduled travel and other commitments" as requested by Obiena.

PATAFA also said their organization was "not afforded due process and has yet to receive any official document on the alleged POC suspension."

On Thursday, the POC suspended PATAFA for 90 days for failing to serve its purpose as an NSA with their non-endorsement for Obiena.

"It must be noted that the law creating the Philippine Sports Commission, R.A. No. 6847, states that it is only the NSA that can form national teams," PATAFA added.

Regarding PATAFA's move on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on their rift with Obiena, the athletics association said it is not a new case.

"The proceedings before the CAS is properly denominated as an 'Appeal Arbitration Proceedings,'" it said. "It is merely the continuation of the complaint initially filed by EJ Obiena against Dr. Philip Ella Juico which resulted in POC's adopting Board Resolution P-2021-013 declaring him 'persona non grata'. Hence, the Appeal Arbitration."

PATAFA said Juico "was compelled to file the Request for Appeal Arbitration of the POC Decision at the time he did because the POC Constitution provision permitting such appeal provided a deadline for the filing thereof, or, 21 days after the reception of the decision concerning appeal."

If Juico did not appeal, PATAFA said the Philippine athletics president "would have lost the opportunity to appeal the assailed decision which would then have lapsed into finality."

PATAFA's ongoing rift with Obiena, which stemmed from the pole vaulter's liquidation of funds, first surfaced in November 2021.

—JMB, GMA News