Angara optimistic Senate ‘sports fans’ will Back Kouame

After the House of Representatives approved Angelo Kouame’s naturalization bid earlier than expected, Deputy Speaker Robbie Puno said that it was up to the Senate to further grease the wheels of its own counterpart bill so the 6-foot-10 center from Ivory Coast could suit up for Gilas Pilipinas.

It seems that the Senate could be up to the task, if you ask Sen. Sonny Angara.

“I think it will get support in the Senate where many are sports and basketball fans,” Angara told the Inquirer, “especially Senate justice committee head Sen. (Richard) Gordon who is in charge of sponsoring the bill.”

If things go smoothly as it did in the House, Kouame could very well suit up for Gilas Pilipinas for the final window of the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup qualifiers in March.

“We are hoping he makes it to the March window, although it is a bit tight,” said Angara who is also chair of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. “He would really beef up our squad.”

Kouame, along with football star Bienvenido Marañon, obtained the approval of the House of Representatives last Tuesday to become naturalized citizens of the country.

They are just waiting for the Senate, and eventually President Duterte, to give the thumbs up to finally be eligible to play for Team Philippines.

Marañon has not only made it clear that he wants to play for the Azkals, the country’s national football team, he also wants to expand the football culture in the country by training talents at the grassroots.

The 23-year-old Kouame, a two-time University Athletics Association of the Philippines champion for the Blue Eagles, is being eyed for the third window of the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers, where the Philippines needs just one more win to qualify for the continental championship this August in Indonesia.

Originally, Kouame was expected to make the national team for the Fiba Asia Cup proper. But the cancellation of the third window—first in Clark in Pampanga province then in Doha, Qatar—cracked an opening for the Ateneo star to play for the Philippines.

Marañon, a 34-year-old striker from Spain, is the all-time top scorer in the AFC Cup. Sen. Miguel Zubiri is sponsoring his citizenship in the Senate.