A TOTAL 45 track and field technical officials accredited by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association have expressed their support to the Patafa leadership and board headed by President Philip Ella Juico in the local track body’s controversy involving pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena.
Malaya-Business Insight was able to obtain a copy of the signed manifesto issued over the weekend and led by former national team standout and current Patafa national training director Renato Unso.
“Let it be known that since the start of this controversy, and after learning the data, the truth behind this issue, we confirm and submit our full support behind PATAFA, Cong. Rufus Rodriguez its Chairman, Dr. Philip Ella Juico its President and the PATAFA Board of Trustees,” the letter said.
“We have been officiating and have run all of PATAFA’s sanctioned events in track and field under the current leadership of PATAFA. We solidly confirm their integrity, generosity, open-mindedness, justice, fairness, good governance, and benevolence, with a listening to our problems as technical officials.
“There is no bad blood in Cong. Rufus Rodriguez or Dr. Philip Ella Juico or the PATAFA board of trustees. Please be informed that those who malign any of them are obviously envious, carried away by ‘crowd mentality’ brought about by social media and fake news, have political vested interests and who want to pull them down with no basis for their erroneous, misguided convictions on the matter.
We are fully behind and fully support PATAFA, Cong. Rufus Rodriguez, Dr. Philip Ella Juico and the PATAFA Board of Trustees. We believe that just like a lion, the truth need not defend itself. With patience, all will know that the truth will set us free.”
Aside from Unso, others who signed the manifesto were Bienvenido Contapay, Elenita Punelas, Emmanuel Lopez, Jose William Ortiz, Benjamin Humangit, Roderick Salano, Enrique Macayan, Anthony Cia, Wally Espino, Gilbert Pajara, April Sacro Unso, Ian Erly Roma, Michael Bautista, Jisell Delos Santos, Joanna Avila, Drolly Claravall, Raphie Pilaspilas, Eunice Pilaspilas, Janeth Bulatao, Francis Talemban, Milagros Rafanan, Oliver Mangao, Albert Micua, Rommel Garcia, Manny Fregillana, Joel Mationg, Yourke Tamayo, Edgardo Uy, Nehemiah Philip, Honey Joy Ortaliz, Rodel Quiteves, Virgina Ogoy, Merdith Ann Cerezo, Rafdie Pacis, Constantino Sebastian, Philip Rasdas, Milanis Sales, Joel Russel Layman, Ericson Eugenio, Bingbing Capistrano and Arnold Padilla.
Following a casual chat among Juico, World Athletics Vice President Sergey Bubka and coach Vitaly Petrov in September, the Patafa launched an internal investigation after it emerged from the conversation that the Ukrainian coach of Obiena had not been receiving his salary since 2018.
The funds came from financial support from the Philippine Sports Commission, given regularly and directly to Obiena, who denied that he had not fully paid Petrov.
Juico disclosed that it was only in November through bank transfers in huge lump sums both locally and overseas that the Ukrainian mentor, who also coached former world and Olympic men’s pole vault champion Bubka, that the payments were made once the PATAFA probe was under way.
Based on the recommendation of the Philippine Olympic Committee Ethics Committee headed by rowing chief Pato Gregorio, the POC Executive Board by a vote of 12 in favor and two abstentions last week declared Juico persona non grata over the alleged harassment of Obiena.
Invoking the autonomy of the National Sports Association in settling intra-NSA disputes, Juico said in a TV interview a few days after the POC board decision was made that he would fight it “all the way,” adding that there had been no harassment of the athlete.
The board decision needs to be approved by the POC general assembly, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting of the year on Jan. 11.
