Obiena backs out of mediation with PATAFA, accuses Juico of 'bad faith'

MANILA, Philippines – A looming legal battle looms between Olympian pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association after the former formally declined on Monday the mediation proposed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“It is with great regret that I am forced to officially withdraw from the PSC offer of mediation due to the bad faith of Mr. Juico and PATAFA,” said Obiena in a statement referring to PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico.

The World No. 5 and Asian record-holder accused the PATAFA of allegedly peddling lies that Sergey Bubka and Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov voluntarily executed their respective affidavits and that the former concealed Petrov’s bank details so the money will be coursed through him.

Obiena also lashed at PATAFA for attacking his mother, former PATAFA auditor Jeanette.

“Where is the dignity and respect in that? I do not believe I can enter into any mediation with people who are seemingly focused on destroying me,” said Obiena. “For me, hurling multiple false accusations, hiding information and lying are not the framework for good faith and mediation.

“They used friends, relatives and fellow athletes as pawns of their aggression,” he added.

It will be the second time Obiena declined to join the mediation.

And the decision may have worsened the already gloomy situation as PATAFA’s two-week moratorium delaying the implementation of the recommendations of its fact-finding panel, which included Obiena’s expulsion from the national team and a filing of an estafa case against him, to give way for the mediation has expired.

PATAFA has accused Obiena of allegedly falsifying liquidations concerning payments to Petrov, which the Southeast Asian Games gold medalist has repeatedly denied.

At press time, there is no word yet from PATAFA on its next move.

The PSC, for its part, has started its own probe and tasked a team headed by its executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy to look deeper into the matter.

“Last week, PSC accounting with the supervision of COA (Commission on Audit) started investigation with PSC board approval,” said PSC chairman William Ramirez.

“The executive director is entrusted by the board to take charge of this investigation and will make appropriate advisory to the two parties.”