PSC chief Ramirez tells Obiena, Patafa to settle dispute by themselves

FILE––EJ Obiena, center, with Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico and Patafa official Edward Kho. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch’’ Ramirez would love to see the bad blood between pole vault star Ernest John Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico end harmoniously.

The PSC chief on Thursday said both conflicting parties could settle the raging dispute on their own even without a formal mediation since the efforts of the agency to conclude the rift peacefully remain elusive.

“Obiena should refrain from listening to people around him while Juico should act like a father to EJ. There’s no need for mediation, what they need is the humility to talk things over and settle the issue between them,’’ said Ramirez.

“I’m talking like a brother to Juico and like a father to EJ. Just settle it amicably,’’ he added during the PSC’s People Sports Conversations online forum.

Obiena begged off from the PSC-organized mediation early this week for good, saying the Patafa has been acting in “bad faith’’ by allegedly manipulating the facts.

The Tokyo Olympian likewise said he would rather reveal the truth in public than disclose the details surrounding his rift with Juico in strict confidentiality before the mediating body.

The PSC hired an impartial body in the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. for the two parties to undergo a structural process of achieving peace.

“Mediation is something we stand for because it is the best option that we have. Contrary to what has been claimed, mediation does not silence the truth. In fact, it is aimed at ferreting out the truth since it offers a safe, neutral ground of discussion for both parties to clarify issues without the noise of the outside world,’’ said Ramirez.

“It is an opportunity for both to lay down their cards and where we can seek ways to address issues without judgment. A place where facts will speak. This was what we wanted to offer,’’ added Ramirez.

Obiena, at present ranked No. 5 in the world and holds the men’s Asian pole vault record, has submitted his liquidation documents last week to the PSC accounting office, including the details of the over P4.8 million in salaries that he released to his Ukranian coach Vitaly Petrov.

“We are sad because both are from sports and they should be guided by the principles of Olympism, which speaks about friendship, respect, excellence and forgiveness, among others and yet this is happening to Philippine sports,’’ said Ramirez.

“It is the mandate of the PSC to oversee elite athletes and the NSAs (national sports associations such as the Patafa) due to the funding of people’s money. It is for this reason that we would like them to reconcile,’’ added Ramirez.

Based on the harassment complaint of Obiena, the Philippine Olympic Committee has declared Juico persona non grata on Wednesday.

POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol’’ Tolentino said should Obiena and Juico mend fences, the POC could lift the persona non grata tag on the athletics chief.

Tolentino added the local Olympic body would endorse Obiena to compete in the Southeast Asian Games and other international tournaments even without the backing of the Patafa.

“Nobody will win in this conflict. The PSC is still open to mediation. Both parties are from sports, so it’s a shame if we cannot resolve this,’’ said Ramirez.