MANILA—With the approval of the 6-foot-6 Fil-Am Gabe Norwood and the inclusion of 5-foot-8 Jason Castro and Jared Dillinger, the top three picks are already known even before the Philippine Basketball Association starts its 2008 Annual Rookie Draft today at the Fort’s Market! Market! Acitivity Center in Taguig City.
Norwood, a member of the RP squad which saw action in the 2007 FIBA-Asia Championship in Tokushima, Japan, was given the green light by PBA commissioner Renauld Barrios to take part in the proceedings set at 3 p.m.
Barrios said the letter of Department of Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez to the Department of Foreign Affairs on July 21, 2007 declaring Norwood to be a Filipino citizen on the basis of the Philippine citizenship of his mother was already substantial enough to comply with the league requirements.
“Having been born on Feb. 9, 1985, of a Filipino mother makes Gabriel Daniel Norwood a Filipino citizen under Sec.1 (2) of Article III of the 1973 Constitution which declares as citizens ,” Gonzalez wrote DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo, who asked for his opinion when Norwood applied for a Philippine passport last year.
“Since the DOJ contends that Norwood no longer needs the documents we required him to submit, it’s illogical on our part to insist on it,” Barrios said.
Sophomore team Rain or Shine, formerly Welcoat, owns the No.1 Draft rights and has signified its intention to pick Norwood. (FCC)
