Maranon’s naturalization hits a snag
THE Philippine football community hopes that Bienve Marañon’s naturalization will finally bear fruit while Senator Juan Zubiri reiterated his backing for the bill granting Philippine citizenship to the United City FC star.
In a statement late Tuesday, PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta divulged that the process to grant Marañon Filipino citizenship hit a snag at a most unfortunate time.
Once he formally became a Filipino and everything goes in order about his documentation, Marañon can suit up for the
Philippine Azkals in next month’s joint FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Suzhou, China.
But, this will have to wait.
“As of Tuesday, 18 May 2021, we are still waiting for Bienvenido Marañon’s naturalization as a Filipino. We understand the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in the process which may have stalled Bienve’s papers in Congress,” said Araneta.
The snafu came while Ateneo basketball player Ange Kouame, whose naturalization process ran side by side with that of Marañon, was already granted Filipino citizenship after his naturalization was signed via Republic Act No. 11543 last Monday.
“It is unfortunate that Bienve wasn’t able to get his naturalization on the same day as Angelo as both of them went through the process together,” said Araneta.
Zubiri, the author and a co-sponsor of the bill granting Filipino citizenship to Marañon, for his part, reiterated his support for his naturalization.
Marañon is currently awaits the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte for Zubiri’s bill to become a law.
“I have always supported Mr. Marañon’s throigh this whole process of naturalization. He very talented and very skillful player and I believe that he will be a great addition to the national team, the Philippine Azkals,” said Zubiri in a statement.
With challenges in preparing the Azkals for the remaining matches of the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers in China starting June 3, Araneta was hoping that the urgency of the team’s situation would have made the process of Marañon’s naturalization faster.
