EJ sa Pinas pa rin maglalaro

MANILA, Philippines — Bagama’t may ilang bansang nag-alok sa kan­ya na magpalit ng uniporme ay mananatili ang puso ni pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena sa Pilipinas.

Kinumpirma ng South­east Asian Games at Asian record-holder ang panliligaw sa kanya ng ibang bansa matapos pumutok ang alegasyon ng Philippine Athle­tics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) ng pag­susumite niya ng palsi­pi­­kadong liquidation re­­port.

“Even now, in this current crisis, I have no desire to change nations. I see these statements on social media and active encouragement to switch allegiances,” ani Obiena sa kanyang Facebook post.

“But this is not who I am and why I do this. I want to win for Philippines and show the world what we can do. I want to win for us,” dagdag nito.

Inakusahan si Obie­na ng PATAFA na dinok­tor ang isinumiteng liqui­dation report ukol sa coaching salary ni Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov na nagkakahalaga ng 85,000 euros (higit sa P4.8 milyon).

Ito ay ipinasosoli ng PATAFA sa World No. 5 pole vaulter.

“I have realized I may at some point have no option. I cannot accept to be accused of false allegations and have my re­putation smeared. I know I may at some point be forced into choices I don’t want to make,” wika ni Obiena.

Kinuha ni Obiena si Atty. Alex Avisado ng Gana Tan Atienza Avisado Law Offices para kumatawan sa kanya sa laban sa PATAFA.

Samantala, umaasa si Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez na pipirmahan nina O­biena at PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico ang ipinadala niyang Mediation Submission Agreement.