Douthit gets House nod on naturalization

Marcus Douthit, RP-Smart Gilas national developmental team’s reinforcement, is close to obtaining his Filipino citizenship. A majority vote of 212-9 on the House of Representatives’ third and final reading of House Bill 2307 enabled the 2004 draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers to move closer to getting Philippine citizenship. Douthit’s next stop will be the Senate. RP-Smart Gilas, which is bankrolled by businessman/sportsman Manuel V. Pangilinan, has been requesting for the naturalization of Douthit at the soonest possible time. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the governing cage body, which is also headed by Pangilinan, is fast-tracking the naturalization process. The American center is the fourth reinforcement to become a candidate for naturalization after CJ Giles, Jamal Sampson and Serbian Milan Vucicevic. Should Douthit get the nod of the senators, the player will become eligible to represent the Philippines in major Asian basketball tournaments in the near future, which include the Asian Games in Guangzhou this November and the Olympic-qualifying FIBA Asia Championship in 2011. Douthit’s inclusion in the national developmental squad for the Asiad depends on how fast he can secure Philippine citizenship as well as the approval of the Asian Games Committee in Guangzhou. Originally, Douthit as well as another reinforcement, Philippine Basketball Association superstar Sol Mercado of Rain or Shine and Fil-foreign standout Chris Lutz weren’t included in the 12-man roster of for the Asiad. Their possible inclusion will still be up for approval by the Asian Games Committee as the deadline for submission of the final roster has already passed. The national developmental team members who were named as the final 12 were Asi Taulava and Kelly Williams, two players loaned by the PBA to RP-Smart Gilas, Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca, Mac Baracael, JV Casio, Dylan Ababou, Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Jason Ballesteros, Marcio Lassiter and Aldrech Ramos. Solons question granting of Philippine citizenship to Douthit Nine lawmakers questioned the granting of Filipino citizenship to Douthit and Chinese cagebelle Xiaojing Zheng. The SBP has sought for the naturalization of Zheng, who will reinforce the RP women’s basketball team in the Asiad. The lawmakers who opposed the granting of naturalization were Bayan Muna Representatives Teddy Casino and Neri Colmenares, Gabriela reps Emmie de Jesus and Luz Ilagan, Kabataan rep Raymond Palatino, Act Teachers rep Tonio Tinio, Camiguin rep Pedro Romualdo, Nueva Vizcaya rep Carlos Padilla and DIWA rep Emmeline Aglipay. Casino said the practice of importing foreigners to play and ensure the victory of the Philippine team is a shortcut. "If we really want to develop our competitiveness in the sport, then let us spend, let us put enough money and resources for our youth and sports development. Because of the failure of our sports program, we resort to giving citizenships to foreign players. The worst thing is, it is the Congress who will be asked to grant citizenship," he told the plenary in explaining his vote. He said Congress should only grant citizenship to people who have shown extraordinary contributions to the country. "It is a very special procedure for an individual to be granted citizenship through congressional fiat." Colmenares said there is no honor in winning a basketball game simply because there was a foreigner who became a Filipino by act of Congress. De Jesus, for her part, said: "This commodifies their nationality. They need to prove their contributions to the country before they wil be granted citizenship." Ilagan said fast-tracking citizenship through a congressional act is an objectionable and dangerous precedent. Padilla cited the bad experience of his constituents with Mahmoud Asfour, a naturalized Filipino of Jordanian lineage, who was accused of threatening and bullying the residents of Nueva Vizcaya, including members of the media. "The House before approving a bill such as this, granting citizenship to a foreigner for him to become a Filipino, should be more judicious, more deliberate and more careful," he said. In an interview with reporters, Antipolo Rep Robbie Puno, author of the bill, defended the grant of citizenship. "The legislative way (of granting citizenship) has absolutely no guidelines because the spirit of the law is that we in Congress are allowed to exercise our sound judgement and discretion. It is totally reliant on our sound discretion," he said. Puno explained that under the new rules of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Philippines, like any other country, is entitled to enlist a naturalized citizen in the national team. “If we are not going to use this prerogative, we are not going to regain our lost basketball glory," Puno said. The naturalization of players started in the 1980s under the initiative of then Ambassador Danding Cojuangco. Three Americans – Jeff Moore, Dennis Still and Chip Engelland – were granted naturalization, and they helped the RP team win the Asian Basketball Confederation (now known as FIBA Asia Championship) in 1985. The three naturalized players also backstopped the RP-Northern Consolidated Corporation in becoming the first guest squad to win a championship in the Philippine Basketball Association that same year. Puno also noted that even the United States was represented by a Nigerian player, Houston Rockets star center Hakeem Olajuwon, at the 1994 World Basketball Championship in Canada. - Rey Joble/Amita Legaspi/KY/OMG, GMANews.TV