Desidido ang mga senador na tanggalan ng badyet angPhilippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) dahil sa pangha-harass umano nito kay pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
Ito ang pahayag ni Senator Pia Cayetano at sinabing ang nakalaang budget ng PATAFA ay ibibigay na lamang saPhilippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Si Philip Ella Juico ang kasalukuyang presidente ng PATAFA.
Ang naturang hakbang ay inihayag ni Cayetano sa isinagawang debate sa plenaryo kaugnay ng 2022 budget ng PSC nitong Martes ng gabi.
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“I want to let the PSC know and PATAFA know that this budget season does not end even if we will now agree to grant the budget. We still have a few weeks and we will go through the process of amendment, and then we will pass this (budget) bill. And then we will go through bicam (bicameral conference committee),” pagdidiin ng senador.
“Mr. Sponsor, please be sure that (PSC) Chairman (Butch) Ramirez knows and relays to PATAFA that if we do not hear sincere efforts, not even efforts—statements—to rectify the grave injustice that they have done upon EJ, I will move that the budget of PSC that is set aside for PATAFA be removed, and that you PSC, will directly give to the athletes. I don’t want the athletes to suffer, but I will remove it from PATAFA, your honor. That is my clear statementsand I see my colleagues nodding. I believe everybody will support us on that,” ayon pa kay Cayetano.
Kaagad namang sinuportahan nina SenatorJoel Villanueva at Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri ang mosyon ni Cayetano.
“As I always say, EJ is a national treasure that gave pride and honor to the Filipino people,” pagbibigay-diin pa ni Villanueva.
Kamakailan, nagpatawag ng pulong balitaan si Obiena, kasama ang coach na si Vitaly Petrov at kapwa nila itinanggi ang alegasyon ng PATAFA. Nauna nang isinapubliko ng PATAFA na hindi umano binabayaran ni Obiena ang buwang suweldo ni Petrov.
Hannah Torregoza
