DEPUTY Speaker and Valenzuela City 2nd District Rep. Eric Martinez has appealed to public not to judge and malign Tokyo Olympian and world’s number 6 pole-vaulter Ernest John “E.J.” Obiena right away after his recent rift with Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and its president Philip Ella Juico.

“We should not jump to conclusions right away without a hint of due process involve in resolving this issue,” Martinez said.

PATAFA is set to drop Obiena from the national team after its investigation on the athlete’s alleged failure to pay the coaching fees of his coach, Vitaly Petrov and falsification of liquidation documents despite the athlete’s compliance to show related documents.

“We do not treat a world class Filipino athlete like that, he is the future of Philippine Athletics,” Martinez followed.

Martinez reiterated that coach Petrov already released a statement clearing Obiena of any obligations particularly on his coaching fees.

“The highly-respected Ukranian coach even mentioned that he did not initiate any complaint against Obiena and understands that the delay on the release of his coaching fees is not the pole-vaulter’s responsibility,” the former chairman of House committee on youth and sports development pointed out.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco