Patafa chief Philip Ella Juico —TRISTAN TAMAYO
MANILA, Philippines—Philip Ella Juico has resigned as president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa).
Juico stepped down from his post Saturday during a Patafa board meeting at Makati Diamond Residences.
“The PATAFA shall always remain steadfast to its core values of integrity, honesty, competence and sincerity, the same values required of all PATAFA athletes, coaches and other stakeholders,” Juico said in a statement.
“I am not leaving PATAFA or the sports community, as it is here where my heart lies but for now, I look forward to more family time and an opportunity to concentrate on personal and business interests and ventures and community advocacies.”
Juico will remain part of Patafa’s board as he was elected as chairman emeritus.
Businessman-sportsman Agapito D. Capistrano, former Patafa executive vice president and secretary general, was tapped by the Patafa board to take over the remainder of Dr. Juico’s term which is up to November 2024 after the Paris Olympics.
Juico succeeded Go Teng Kok at Patafa’s helm in 2014.
Before his resignation, Juico was involved in a row with pole vault star EJ Obiena over the athlete’s alleged falsification of liquidations submitted to the athletics federation which has since been resolved.