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PATAFA rejects POC's persona non grata tag on Popoy Juico

The PATAFA board continues its support for PATAFA chief Popoy Juico. PSA (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is not acknowledging the resolution made by the Philippine Olympic Committee calling Popoy Juico persona non grata.

PATAFA chairman Rufus Rodriguez said on Tuesday that the board of trustees moved to reject the POC resolution made on Dec. 28 putting the undesired person tag on Juico as it was deemed not part of POC's constitution.

[Related Story: POC declares PATAFA chief Popoy Juico 'persona non grata']

"We approved this resolution rejecting the POC resolution as null and void ab initio because of their own constitution," Rodriguez said.

He also said that Juico did not do something which insulted POC that much amid PATAFA's ongoing row against EJ Obiena.

"We all know that a persona non grata comes out if there is an insult on a certain body. If a person insults that body, imputes crime on that body, or makes allegations against that body, that is the time there can be persona non grata. In this case, it is an intra-NSA dispute, and Philip Juico came to them and said, 'Look at your constitution. You have no jurisdiction.' So how can there be persona non grata there? Is there an insult there by our president Philip Juico on the POC? None." Rodriguez further said.

He then stressed that the row between PATAFA and Obiena should be addressed within the NSA first before the POC can step in, implying that the POC quickly jumped into the matter without waiting for PATAFA's report.

The persona non grata tag on Juico was the latest major development in the PATAFA-Obiena beef before PATAFA announced also on Tuesday that it is dropping Obiena from the national and filing estafa charges against him.

[Related Story: PATAFA dropping EJ Obiena from national team, mulling estafa raps too]

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno

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