Bank wire and exchange fees cost an average of $50 per transfer, an expense that Obiena paid from his personal funds.
These topics were never mentioned or acknowledged by Juico and further PATAFA deceptively modified email exchanges to make it appear Obiena never sent Petrov's banking details.
In November 2021, a Philippine Daily Inquirer report stated that Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) ordered pole vaulter EJ Obiena to return financial assistance worth €85,000 (over ₱4.8 million) allegedly due to "falsified the liquidations submitted" to the federation.
The anonymous source cited by Inquirer mentioned that the matter is supposed to be privileged and strictly confidential in nature but confirmed that PATAFA launched an investigation concerning Obiena.
[5] On Dec 2, 2021 Petrov stated: I answered and later signed a questionnaire because I was made to understand through their circuitous questioning and reasoning that this would facilitate smoother payments.
I answered it that way because I honestly thought it would help unburden EJ of this unnecessary role of managing my payments and that he could fully focus on training.
[11] According to Obiena, PATAFA's written allegation against him shifted from him embezzling funds to paying his coach late.
[12][13] In January 2022, the PATAFA board has recommended filing estafa (swindling) criminal case against Obiena and his mother, Jeannete for alleged misappropriation of funds.
[14] Obiena in response to PATAFA's accusation against him which was reported by Inquirer stated that the allegations are "rumors" that are "100% false and represent nothing more than character assassination".
The pole vaulter has hired the service of PricewaterhouseCoopers to audit his payments though he admitted that some liquidation documents were processed late or in "a sloppy fashion".
Petrov though admitted that he has been paid late at times, sometimes in irregular tranches, by Obiena but maintains that the pole vaulter is trustworthy.
Petrov attributes the payment to what he believes to be PATAFA's inefficiency and accused the federation of tricking him to be able for it to find fault on Obiena.
[22] PATAFA confirmed that its investigation over Obiena is a response to written letters by Sergey Bubka and Vitaly Petrov.
[16] PATAFA President Philip Juico denied accusations that he had pressured Petrov saying that the coach answered freely and volunteered information to him over the salary matter.
[23] On January 4, 2022, PATAFA's board recommended expelling Obiena from the national team pool and filing estafa (swindling) case against the athlete.
It also recommended filing a case against Petrov before the World Athletics for violation of the Integrity Code of Conduct and declared Obiena's adviser Jim Lafferty as persona non grata.
[26] Philippine Senators quickly came to Obiena's defense, calling unproven accusations "harassment" against an athlete considered a national treasure and passing a motion to recall the budget of the PSC.
In December 2021, Obiena reiterated his willingness for a PSC-led mediation but said he would prefer the Philippine Olympic Committee to finish its own investigation on his affair with PATAFA.
[38] On December 28, the Philippine Olympic Committee declared PATAFA President Philip Juico as persona non grata in light with his federation's dispute with Obiena.
[45][46] Obiena also has public support from other athletes such as boxer Eumir Marcial and politicians such as Senators Manny Pacquiao and Tito Sotto and Kabataan representative Sarah Elago.
[47] Within PATAFA, Juico's administration has backing from officials, coaches and athletes who came up with a signed and written manifesto expressing their support.
[53] However according to Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella that the by-laws governing NOCs "clearly states" that only NSAs or international federations can accredit athletes for international competitions pointing out similar attempts by the POC in the past to field basketball and cycling athletes without approval from their respective federations.
Senator Pia Cayetano led the hearings and stated her goal is to craft legislation which will lift the administrative burden from athletes and let them focus on competition.
There was a concern that the move might be construed as government interference since after PATAFA Juico was cited for contempt in a Senate hearing potentially endangering the Philippines' participation in international tournaments.
According to PATAFA, it did not act on Obiena's letter dated February 24, 2022 seeking formal endorsements to participate in these tournaments citing that "deferral of any action on EJ Obiena's letter is consistent with the directive of the Senate Committee to undergo mediation, which PATAFA is currently participating in".
A precedent was Lydia de Vega's participation in the 1985 ASEAN Cup despite a dispute with suspended PATAFA president Michael Keon.
[62] On March 31, 2022, Obiena received clearance from the Commission on Audit (COA) finding no wrong doing and thus officially settling the liquidation issue.
In its letter COA, stated: "based on our regular audit of your liquidation, the related expenditures for the following financial assistance granted for your training... were in order".