A SIZEABLE number of track and field athletes and coaches closed ranks behind the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association led by its president, Philip Ella Juico, as the Philippine Sports Commission resume mediation talks between Patafa and pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena today.
A total of 26 athletes and 11 coaches signed an open letter declaring their support for Juico, Patafa Chairman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and the Patafa board in the face of issues stemming from the association’s row with the Italy-based athlete.
“Kaming mga higit na 20 atleta ng Pilipinas at mga atleta sa pamunuan ng Patafa ay nagbibigay ng aming buong pusong suporta sa Patafa sa pamumuno ni Chairman Rufus Rodriguez, President Popoy Juico at ng buong board of trustees sa kritikal na panahong ito,” the athletes said.
“Sana di din makalimutan na kami din ay atleta ng bayan at nakakararami at kami ay direktong apektado ng mga desisyong ito. Subalit sa lahat ng pagsubok na hinaharap ng aming federasyon na Patafa, kami ay nanatiling focused sa aming training upang makapapagbigay ng pinakamagandang performance sa nalalapit na kumpetisyon at buo ang pag-iisip.
“Kami ay determinado upang makapagbigay ng karangalan sa ating bansa ng hindi magagandang pangyayari sa mga nagdaang araw,” they added.
The athletes’ manifesto of support was signed by Edgadro Alejan Jr., Clinton Bautista, Bejoy Bernalyn, Melvin Calano, Daniela Daynata, Michael del Prado, Sarah Dequinan, Harry Diones, Melissa Escoton, Edwin Giron, Junel Gobotia, Josefa Ligmayo, Anfernee Lopena, Jessel Lumapas, Ronnie Malipay, John Albert Mantua, Mariano Masano, Eloisa Medina, Francis Medina, Jelly Paragile, Frederick Ramirez, Richard Salano, Jayme Sequita, Aries Toledo, Janry Ubas, Jerald Zabala.
All homegrown talents, 110-meter hurdler Bautista, javelin thrower Calano, decathlete Toledo, heptathlete Dequinan and sprinters Lopena and Medina all won gold medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Some of the athletes expressed their support in writing, among them Toledo, a back-to-back SEA Games decathlon champion.
“Maganda ang pamamalakad ng Patafa sa amin at dahil sa kanila ay hindi namin mararating itong kinalalagyan namin,” Toledo, an Army enlisted man, said.
“Nagpapasalamat kami kay Sir Juico na kahit pandemic kami gumawa siya ng paraan para kami ay makahensayo.”
“Keep fighting po. Lalabas din ang katotohohan. Patuloy kami mag-pipray. God bless po,” Dequinan said.
“Tuloy po ang laban para sa ikabubuti ng association,” Calano said.
“Some of our athletes expressed their sentiments to show that they are being cared for by our association. We don’t just have one athlete but 48 in our national pool,” noted national training director Renato Unso, a former national team standout.
The coaches who signed their letter of support for the Patafa leadership were Eduardo Buenavista, Jeoffrey Chua, Dario de Rosas, Joebert Delicano, John Philip Duenas, Arniel Ferrera, Daniel Fresnido, Sean Guevarra, John Lozada, Julius Nierras and George “Jojo” Posadas.
