Popoy Juico will not go down without a fight.
The president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association will contest the Philippine Olympic Committee’s decision that declared him as a persona non-grata by the agency.
After a thorough investigation, the POC’s Ethics Committee headed by rowing chief Pato Gregorio concluded that what Juico is doing to star pole vaulter constitutes harassment. The POC still recognizes PATAFA but no longer its head, the agency also emphasized.
“Of course, we will fight it,” Juico told ANC’s After the Fact. “When they asked me to attend a hearing, a so-called clarificatory hearing, they said that this is not under their jurisdiction.
“This is an intra-NSA issue. Under the Philippine Olympic Committee’s constitution, such intra-NSA issues should be resolved within the NSA. If there is no satisfactory resolution is the only way the POC can come in.”
According to Juico, PATAFA is within its jurisdiction to investigate Obiena as he is a member of the federation.
Obiena is being investigated for failing to liquidate the salary of his coach Vitaly Petrov from 2018-21 that amounted to €85,000.
“It’s an issue between the board and him so it’s not me against him. It’s the PATAFA itself,” continued Juico.
“The issue raised against him was because of certain money matters. Wala yung harassment dun.
“We did not accuse him. It was like a letter to ask him to return the 85,000 Euros. It’s like a demand letter and then he is supposed to explain. It’s an issue within the NSA itself,” he said.
Juico bared that they have invited Obiena thrice for their investigation but thrice were rejected.
According to Juico, Obiena’s lawyers did not want their client to appear as the venue is not “neutral”.
Up to now, Juico said that Obiena has yet to file his liquidation papers which the Philippine Sports Commission is already asking for.
“The issue is not harassment but how the money was used,” he said.
