This was after Commission on Audit didn’t find irregularities in how Obiena spent the government-funded expenditures—including the salary allocation for his Ukrainian coach. 

Tolentino said the 26-year-old Olympian can now shift his attention and solely focus on the real upcoming battles ahead, especially the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next month and the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this coming September.

In a letter sent by COA to the Philippine Sports Commission dated March 31, 2022, state auditors clarified that they have not issued any Notice of Suspension nor Notice of Disallowance over the government-funded assistance given to Obiena amounting to P12.34 million between June 2019 and August 2022.

“This will definitely put a final closure on the matter. EJ’s sole job is only to train hard and to perform well for his upcoming tournaments. Hindi niya trabaho na maging isang accountant,” said Tolentino.

Last March 17, Tolentino and three other senators filed a motion for contempt against top honchos of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association or Patafa for bringing the case of Obiena before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland after the botched mediation between the two camps.

The current World No. 5 pole vaulter and the Patafa leadership later reconciled last March 30 and “agreed to a settlement” as announced earlier by PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez.