IVORIAN Angelo Kouame is now a Filipino citizen after President Rodrigo Duterte signed his naturalization papers, Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque Jr. told BusinessMirror on Tuesday.
“This is to confirm that the President [Rodrigo Duterte] has signed into a law granting [of Filipino] citizenship to Angelo Kouame,” Roque said.
The President, however, has yet to sign the naturalization papers of Spanish football star Bienvenido Marañon, according to Roque.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio, in a statement sent through Special Assistant Ryan Gregorio, thanked all the government officials for making the naturalization process possible.
Now, Panlilio said, the 6-foot-10 Kouame could play in the third and final window of the International Basketball Federation Asia Cup qualifiers from June 16 to 20 in Clark.
“The SBP extends our appreciation to President Rodrigo Duterte for signing it into law and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senator Bong Go for their assistance,” Panlilio said.
“We thank our SBP Chairman [Manuel V. Pangilinan], Senator Sonny Angara, along with Senators Joel Villanueva and Richard Gordon, for filing the bill in the Senate and our Vice Chairman, Congressman Robbie Puno, for authoring the bill in the House of Representatives,” Panlilio added.
SBP program director Tab Baldwin expressed excitement over Kouame, saying he’s extremely thankful to President Duterte for being supportive of Philippine sports.
“I think we are all pretty confident that the Congress is supporting us, the President also supports basketball and Philippine sports,”Baldwin said. “It’s a big relief, and we’re very happy for Ange [Kouame], happy for the program.”
Gregorio said the SBP will now seek FIBA’s confirmation on Kouame.
“Kouame will now undergo the final steps required by FIBA before a naturalized player can suit up for a country and we are confident that he’ll be able to play during our hosting of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Serbia,” Panlilio added in the statement.
Kouame played for Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines before he was tapped for the Gilas Pilipinas program.