UP tanker seeks TRO on 2-year residency rule

MANILA, Philippines - A University of the Philippines freshman swimmer has sought court intervention in an effort to nullify the controversial two-year residency rule for transferees and be allowed to play for the Lady Maroons in the Season 76 competitions slated Sept. 19-22.

Anna Dominique “Mikee” Bartolome, through her father Domingo “Vic” Bartolome, filed a complaint against the UAAP and her former school in the juniors division, University of Santo Tomas, with the Quezon City court last Thursday seeking legal relief against the said league rule.

Bartolome sought for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the UAAP from further applying the two-year residency rule; the issuance of a writ of preliminary prohibitory injunction and writ of preliminary mandatory injunction commanding UST to issue a release of Bartolome; and the issuance of a permanent injunction and declaration of nullity of the UAAP’s two-year residency rule.

The QC RTC Branch 226 has set a hearing on Monday, two days before the UAAP’s scheduled deliberation for rosters in swimming.

“It’s been my dream to go to UP. I’ve experienced how prestigious and exciting the competition in the UAAP is and all the more now that UP is running for five-peat in women’s swimming. I hope I’ll be able to compete this season and contribute to the five-peat,” Mikee said in a press conference yesterday with her dad Vic, a former PBA referee and currently a member of the UP men’s basketball team coaching staff, and Sen. Pia Cayetano, who is providing “moral support.” 

Mikee won 10 gold medals in her four-year stint with UST high and moved to UP, where her elder sister Maria Kristina is also a varsity swimmer. 

However, the league’s new eligibility rule for high school graduates transferring to another UAAP member school required a two-year residency period, except in cases where the mother school signs a release form. 

According to Vic, all their efforts to secure the release of the 17-year-old Sports Science freshman from her former school UST had failed, forcing them to seek legal relief, with the support of Cayetano.