We hope these investigations can untangle this mess and end the drama. While we all should suspend judgment until afterward, it is hard not to sympathize with Mr. Obiena given that many Filipino athletes before him had complained about inadequate government support and even poor treatment.

As suggested, Congress should review the relationship among the athletic associations, the POC and the PSC, as well as the athletes. The whole setup reeks with rumors of dirty politics and interest groups fighting over money even as athletes and their families struggle to maintain a decent lifestyle with the funds that trickle down to them.

In the case of Mr. Obiena, the investigators should ask why he was burdened with such heavy managerial responsibilities. Mr. Juico seems off in insisting that liquidation was just pro forma and certainly not a burden.

As others noted, Patafa gave millions of pesos to Mr. Obiena, who not only had to convert them into euros, which is the currency in Italy, but also had to run these errands amid the pandemic. Mr. Obiena not only had to pay his coach directly, but also the arena where he trains and other expenses. Why did Patafa not do all that for Mr. Obiena so he can just train? Managing millions of pesos, converted into tens of thousands of euros, is not as simple as Mr. Juico suggested.

Besides, did Patafa release those funds on time? Were there delays that could explain why Mr. Obiena was also late in settling his obligations?

Moreover, why did Mr. Juico issue a demand letter without prior warnings? Why not simply contact Mr. Obiena, perhaps on social media, to clear up the issues? Patafa knew where he was training. It certainly knew where to send P4.8 million.

These queries give us a sinking feeling that something is terribly wrong somewhere. And it may have been there long before Mr. Obiena became a world-class pole vaulter and reputedly the first Asian to have competed in the finals of the Olympic event (Tokyo 2020).