MANILA – Will the government allow Australian nun Patricia Fox to stay in the Philippines?
The Department of Justice was set to release its verdict on the status of Fox on Monday – her deadline to leave the country on the order of the Bureau of Immigration.
Fox sought the reversal of the Immigration bureau’s order.
“DOJ will release the resolution (on Fox’s appeal) on Monday, June 18,” Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Sunday.
Fox hopes the Justice department will grant her appeal to stay.
“All I can say [is] I’m hopeful this will be given due consideration,” she said.
On May 17 the Immigration bureau ordered Fox to leave the Philippines, forfeiting her missionary visa over allegations that she violated the conditions of her stay and gave her a temporary visitor’s visa valid for 30 days.
On May 25 Fox filed a petition before the Justice department seeking the reversal of the order.
Fox argued that her visa was forfeited without due process and there was no solid evidence that she engaged in political activities. The Immigration dismissed these.
According to the bureau, Fox acted beyond allowed activities under her visa by working outside Barangay Amihan, Quezon City, where she claimed she would render her missionary work when she applied for her visa.
Strict rules on evidence do not apply to immigration cases – administrative proceedings requiring only the lowest quantum of evidence, the Immigration stated in its order.
On April 16 Immigration operatives apprehended Fox in light of a mission order issued by Commissioner Jaime Morente for allegedly violating the conditions of her stay by engaging in political activities and anti-government demonstrations. She was released the following day./PN
