Malaki ang kinalaman ng internal rules ukol sa naturalized players kung bakit hindi sila maaaring maglaro bilang local players, kahit pa puwede nilang matamasa ang pribilehiyo ng isang mamamayang Pilipino.
Ito ang naging tugon ni Senator Sonny Angara, chairman ng Subcommittee A ng Senate Committee on Finance, sa tanong ni Senator Francis Tolentino, hinggil sa isyu ng mga manlalarong na naging naturalized Filipino citizens subalit hindi pinayagang maglaro sa Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) at International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
“You have to balance the rights of the PBA as an organization to provide its own rules. Iyong UAAP [University Athletic Association of the Philippines], when Kouame was naturalized, they still considered him an import, di ba? Parang the same way, FIBA. They have the rule where even if you are naturalized [citizen] of any country, as long as you didn’t get your passport before you reach the age of 16, you cannot play for that country. You are considered an import,” paliwanag ni Angara.
Naungkat ang issue ng naturalization ng ilang dayuhang manlalaro na may dugong Pinoy sa pagdinig sa panukalang 2024 budget ng Bureau of Immigration, isang ahensiya sa ilalim ng Department of Justice.
Sa naturang pagdinig, sinabi ni Tolentino na matagal na ring tanong nila ni Senator Roland “Bato” Dela Rosa kung bakit hindi pinahihintulutan ng PBA at maging ng Gilas Pilipinas na maglaro bilang locals ang kagaya nina Ange Kouame at Justin Brownlee sa koponan ng bansa.
“For instance, si Kouame, doon na maglalaro sa France. Si Justin Brownlee is playing here as an import. Hindi sila makalaro sa all-Filipino (league) kasi they are considered as imports. Ganun din si (Marcus) Douthit, bumalik na sa Amerika… Si Blanche, nandun na. Pero sabi ni Undersecretary Dulay… they have given the right and privileges [the same as natural-born Filipino,” ani Tolentino.