PATAFA agrees to PSC mediation in bid to resolve dispute with EJ Obiena

The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) has formally expressed its desire to resolve the athletics body's funding row with pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

In a letter dated January 11, PATAFA board member Datu Yusoph Mama told Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez their participation in the mediation process that the agency offered.

PATAFA will be represented by its president Philip Ella Juico, Atty. Aldrin R. Cabilles, and Alfonso S. Sta Clara.

PATAFA earlier announced that it is postponing for two weeks the implementation of the recommendation of its fact-finding committee which included the expulsion of Obiena from the national pool as well as the filing of estafa charges against the 26-year-old Olympian.

PSC, for its part, said it already sought the assistance of Philippine Dispute Resolution Center (PDRC) in patching things up between PATAFA and Obiena and all the parties involved like the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

"When it comes to mediation, we have been talking about it since November. There were many comments that PSC is not doing anything. I would like to correct you that since our option was trying to reconcile and mediate the two parties, we don’t talk to the public," Ramirez said on Tuesday in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

"Mediation requires science, skills, and experience and we are doing our job because we are paid by the people. Of course, there are good politics [and] there are bad politics but we are doing our job."

Ramirez said that mediation was challenging following the exchange of statements from various parties and individuals.

"We verbalized that we volunteered to mediate and while we were asking for a ceasefire, there was a criss-crossing of statements that includes POC, that include everyone in the country—politicians and everyone."

According to Obiena's camp, the world no. 5 is open to mediation as well.

"He is open to mediation. He and Chairman Butch are talking. Everything is under wraps," said Obiena's spokesperson Bobbet Bruce.

—JMB, GMA News