Senate tackles naturalization of Gilas prospects Bennie Boatwright, Malick Diouf, Elizabeth Means

The Philippine Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Tuesday opened deliberations on bills seeking to grant Filipino citizenship to Bennie Boatwright and Malick Diouf.

Led by Senator Kiko Pangilinan, the committee held its first public hearing as the naturalization process for the two Gilas Pilipinas Men candidates officially got underway in the upper chamber.

The Senate also tackled the naturalization process for other candidates in Elizabeth Jeanette Means for Gilas Pilipinas Women and Matthew James Ramos, who's eyeing to represent the Philippines in wrestling.

The Senate, however, only deliberated on the cases of Means and Diouf, as Boatwright and Ramos remain out of the country at the time of the hearing.

The development is a welcome boost for Gilas Pilipinas, which fell to New Zealand and Australia earlier this week during the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Window 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Boatwright, Diouf, and Means previously appeared before the House of Representatives last November.

Boatwright is a former import in the PBA, leading San Miguel to the Commissioner's Cup title in 2024 while Diouf was a former University of the Philippines reinforcement in the UAAP, where he helped the Fighting Maroons clinch a historic title in Season 84.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News