Or so the DOJ says.

“Accordingly, having been born on February 9, 1985, of a Filipino mother makes Gabriel Daniel Norwood, a Filipino citizen under Sec. 1(2) of Article 3 of the 1973 Constitution which declares as citizens of the Philippines those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines at the time of their birth,” he said.

Full article can be found here.

My opinion? After making him play in an Olympic qualifying tournament as a Pinoy a few months back, this was the only way to go. After settling on Devance by default in a very lean 2007 PBA draft, Norwood may very well be the franchise player Welcoat is looking for.

For the PBA’s sake (and their own) though, I hope the Welcoat management makes an extra effort to surround him with all the support he needs. I’d sure hate to see that 4-position versatility go to waste.