Gwen wants House to probe Patafa for excluding Tabal

Gwen Garcia

And the war goes to Congress.

Deputy speaker Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district wants the House of Representatives to investigate the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) for its “arbitrary and discrimatory” exclusion of Cebuana Olympian Mary Joy Tabal from the official roster of athletes who will carry the country’s campaign in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) this August.

Garcia, a former governor of Cebu, submitted yesterday afternoon Resolution No. 1073 “directing the Committee on Youth and Sports Development to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation, on the arbitrary exclusion of Mary Joy Tabal, Philippine marathoner, as well as others who may be similarly situated, from the Philippine delegation to the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.”

On Monday, Patafa head Philip Ella Juico, in a hastily-called press conference in Manila, announced the expulsion of Tabal – the first Filipino to compete in Olympics marathon– from the national team due to alleged violations of the federation’s rules. He cited Tabal’s insistence that she base her training here in Cebu under her long-time coach as example.

But Rep. Garcia believes Patafa’s move is “unreasonable and arbitrary and even discrimatory” since the National Sports Association (NSA) for athletics allowed some Fil-foreign athletes to train in their own countries with financial assistance from Patafa.

Last May 29, Tabal ruled the 21-kilometer race in the tough Scotia Bank Ottawa Marathon where she shattered the Philippine record in the distance by clocking 1:16.29 which bettered her old mark of 1:18.40.

Garcia also wants to know “whether PATAFA, which is a recipient of public funds through the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has acted in this instance within the requirements of the law and due process, as well as the elementary principles of fairness and good faith.”

The 17th Congress will resume its second regular session on July 24.

Tabal arrived from her latest foreign conquest last Tuesday and insisted she did not violate any Patafa rule. Emotional and struggling to hold back tears, Tabal told reporters that she only wanted to give honor to the country.

She however, is willing to submit a reinstatement letter to Patafa if only to be granted a slot to the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

The past gew days has witnessed an uproar especially from the Cebuano community due to Patafa’s decision to drop Tabal, who won silver in women’s marathon during the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

PSC Commissioner Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez said the move is unfair and discriminatory as he called on the Patafa to change its decision.

On Wednesday, the Cebu City Council also passed a resolution asking the Patafa through Juico to reconsider their earlier decision to exclude the 28-year-old Tabal, a native of Barangay Guba, Cebu City from the SEAG roster.

The council also asked the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the PSC to intervene in the ongoing dispute.

Last Wednesday night, Tabal left for Tuscany, Italy for a two-month training there in preparation for the SEA Games.

Juico for his part said he is willing to welcome back Tabal if she will follow the rules of the Patafa. He also insisted that it was Tabal who resigned from the national squad right after her stint in the Rio Olympics last August.