Aired (September 29, 2024): EJ Obiena shares his side and experience on the PATAFA issue back in 2021, when he was accused of embezzlement where he admitted that this experience affected him and his mother’s relationship. What is the true story, and how did he and his mother overcome this issue?
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00:00EJ Obiena's top-fall boulder, 85,000 euros or 4.8 million pesos, was dismissed by his coach Vitaly Petro.
00:12I was to receive a letter from Patafa accusing me of de facto stealing the money intended for Mr. Vitaly Petro.
00:19Obiena released his salary on the decision of Patafa to remove him from the national team.
00:24Although he was saddened by the committee's recommendation, he was not surprised.
00:29He went to the court to clear his name and his family.
00:332021, because this has something to do with your relationship also with your mother.
00:37That big controversy happened with Patafa.
00:41This story is over.
00:43Yeah.
00:44That chapter of your life deeply hurt you and your family.
00:49Yeah.
00:50I would say.
00:52Pero I want to know, EJ, now as we talk, have you forgiven the people you think wronged you and your family?
01:02Yeah.
01:03Yeah.
01:04I would say.
01:05Most of them, I understood in the position that they were in.
01:10I get it.
01:11It's not something I would take against them.
01:14And right now, it's like, it's not even I feel bad or happy or anything.
01:18I feel indifferent.
01:20I think that's when I can truly say I move on and really put that in my rear view.
01:26We're just talking about it because that must have been painful.
01:29Because misappropriation of funds, embezzlement.
01:32I remember this.
01:33I mean, these are the headlines.
01:34There were Senate hearings.
01:36There were recommendations to file charges against you and your mom.
01:41Your mother abonned a certain amount, P600,000 because your allowance was being delayed.
01:47There were recommendations to file charges against your mother.
01:52Looking back, how did it affect your relationship with your mother?
01:58Especially because she was the one involved in that controversy.
02:03You know, leading up to that, our relationship kind of took a toll, to be honest.
02:08Because I was saying, pinibenta mo ko eh.
02:11Because she was working with the federation.
02:16Who was working with the federation?
02:17My mom.
02:18So she was working for the federation.
02:20So you were mad with mom?
02:22I was angry.
02:23I was like, most of the time, I was like, I don't want to deal with this guy.
02:26I don't want to.
02:27Like, why?
02:28Why?
02:29Why?
02:30Like, her job was kids' athletics, which is totally disconnected to my position as an athlete.
02:40And she was not hired because she was my mom.
02:43She was hired because she's capable to do her job.
02:46So I keep telling her, you're not my mom in Patapa.
02:49If they want to talk to me, they can call me.
02:52They have my number, they have all of this.
02:53We had this conversation multiple times.
02:55Because I didn't want na kami yung magbabanggaan.
03:00If they ask me of something that I cannot give the federation, then they should ask it directly to me.
03:07I remember when that thing blew up, and I was like, what is this money that they're talking about?
03:12This and this.
03:13I didn't know that she actually put that 600,000 of her own money.
03:18Hindi niya alam na nag-abono.
03:19Hindi mo alam na nag-abono ang money.
03:21I didn't know.
03:22Yeah, because I was, of course, pushing.
03:24I was like, hey, where's the fund?
03:26Where's the fund?
03:27No, Lutis.
03:28I didn't know.
03:29Nung nagkataon na, we're bookkeeping, and I was looking at my statements, and she's looking at her statements.
03:35I think it was like 3 a.m.
03:37I was getting really frustrated, to the point where I said, you know, you might be the reason why I cannot fight this.
03:47Because I have a smoking gun.
03:50I have a lot of things that I can fire, but figuratively, it's like if I fire it, they're within the line of fire.
04:01And I kept feeling that I can't express everything that I could.
04:06Because she was there.
04:07Yes, and it's tough.
04:09Kasi, she was very loyal to the Federation.
04:12She was really doing everything that she can.
04:15And to see her own friends, per se, really kind of turn against her and use their friendship to really hurt me,
04:24because they know that I care for my family, it made me pissed, really.
04:30I wanted them to pay, but that moment, it's not a good feeling.
04:38It's not a good feeling, especially seeing your faces in headlines with all of this.
04:45I didn't even know what is embezzlement.
04:47I didn't know what is malversation.
04:49When I received that letter, that email, I googled it, because I didn't know.
05:00Hey!