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'Napakaswerte n'ya': Elma Muros urges Obiena to admit shortcomings

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<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1886754" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>MANILA -- Track and field great Elma Muros-Posadas urged star pole-vaulter EJ Obiena to come forward and admit his shortcomings concerning his fund liquidation, after the Philippine Athletics and Track and Field Association (PATAFA) moved to dropped him from the national team. This, as Obiena was accused to have falsified his liquidation reports and failed to pay his Ukranian coach Vitaly Petrov. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/06/22/obiena-says-working-to-complete-liquidation-of-funds">Obiena says working to complete liquidation papers</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/06/22/patafa-to-defer-recommendations-on-obiena-for-2-weeks">PATAFA to defer recommendations on Obiena for 2 weeks</a></li></ul>Asked what should&#x27;ve been done with Obiena, Muros-Posadas a former PATAFA member, said the money entrusted to the athlete should have been liquidated properly, citing her past experience. &quot;Dapat magpakumbaba ka, sumunod ka sa patakaran ng PATAFA. Kung ano ang rules and regulations may responsibilidad kami bilang isang atleta at sa bayan na sinusuklian namin ang people&#x27;s money na kailangan sa pamamagitan ng aming talento... Dahil napakapalad niya bilang isang atleta. Napakasuwerte niya. Sa dami-dami ng mga atletang world-class hindi nagkakaganito,&quot; Muros-Posadas said on ANC&#x27;s &quot;Headstart&quot; on Friday. She later on added: &quot;Noong panahon namin hindi ganito kalaki ang pera. From Teacher&#x27;s Camp to University of Baguio ang pamasahe namin back and forth sinusulat namin. &#x27;Yung notebook sinusulat namin &#x27;yan pinipirmahan namin &#x27;yan. &#x27;Yung P7 &#x27;pag umaga tapos balikan pa kami magla-lunch kami or dinner kasi may instruction namin na i-liquidate namin &#x27;yan, kahit 50 centavos &#x27;yan, talagang ili-liquidate ko &#x27;yun kasi kailangan na maipaliwanang namin saan napunta.&quot; Muros-Posadas is the wife of track and field national coach Jojo Posadas, who in the same interview reiterated that it was Obiena&#x27;s obligation to pay his coach. &quot;Hindi lang naman ito labanan ng presidente at... Ito is people&#x27;s money, taxpayer&#x27;s money. Binigyan ka ng suporta, kailangan tuparin mo ang obligasyon mo bilang atleta,&quot; Posadas said, claiming that the support given to Obiena had amounted to over P40 million. &quot;Sayang, potential siya world-class. Pero mayroon tayong tinatawag na patakaran. We&#x27;re calling about delay. Imagine 3 years &#x27;di mo binabayaran ang lumablabas 3 years and imagine siya lang ang player total budget na tinulong almost P40 million hindi &#x27;yan nangyari sa ibang players. Pero pasalamat siya at siya ang nabigyan, na-endorse siya.&quot;The PATAFA, in its internal findings, alleged that Obiena misappropriated funds amounting to over P3 million, adding that estafa cases can be filed against the 26-year-old athlete. &quot;The only thing I can say na aminin ni EJ ang pagkukulang para maayos... aminin mo ang pagkukulang mo and pagkakamali mo,&quot; Posadas said. &quot;Kasi based on publicity hindi siya tinutulungan sa expenses niya pero lumalabas ang katotohanan na binigyan siya ng tulong, lahat. Kasi sa halaga ng P40 million andiyan ang apartment, psychologist, cook niya, mga vitamins niya and gasoline expenses. So napakapalad niya.&quot; Muros-Posadas, for her part, wants the public to be fair in judging the situation. &quot;Bakit didisiplinahin ang opisyal bakit &#x27;di [rin] disiplinahin &#x27;yung athlete? [Bakit lang] may wrongdoing ang official? Biased. Dapat gumitna tayo, pakinggan ang bawat side, hindi &#x27;yung side lang na ito. Ang akin lang is dapat to be fair para ang sambayanang Pilipino na walang kampihan, walang sasawsaw, para may panatag. May problema na nga sa pandemic, ito pa dadagdag... Para sa mga opsiyal dapat magkaisa kasi mabigat itong problema natin sa pandemic,&quot; she said. Obiena on Thursday said he is working to complete his liquidation papers, as per the request of the Philippine Sports Commission. He also urged the commission to direct PATAFA in processing a P1.5-million bonus he was supposed to receive when he broke a record in the 17th International Golden Roof Challenge in Innsbruck, Austria. He has not received funding since August 2021.

Elma Muros-Posadas is the wife of track and field national coach Jojo Posadas, who in the same interview reiterated that it was EJ Obiena's obligation to pay his coach. 