MANILA – Australian Roman Catholic nun Patricia Fox was glad the Department of Justice struck down the Bureau of Immigration ruling that forfeited her visa and ordered her to leave the Philippines.
The Justice department nullified the order for being “without legal basis,” Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Monday.
“I’m very happy, yes,” Fox told the press minutes after Guevarra released the statement. “I’m just pleased. I’m quite surprised, actually.”
The 71-year-old nun, who has been in the Philippines for more than 27 years, is an advocate of the rights of indigenous peoples and oppressed workers, among others.
The Immigration bureau forfeited her missionary visa, accusing her of participating in political and anti-government demonstrations, and thereby violating the conditions of her stay.
Guevarra said the bureau does not have the power to forfeit visas.
While immigration laws give the bureau broad powers in regulating the entry and stay of aliens, visa forfeiture is not part of those powers, said the Justice secretary.
“Yeah, that’s good news,” Fox said of the department ruling. “We will just have to wait and see what happens, whether that affects the deportation case also (because) that is separate from the visa issue.”
A deportation case the Immigration lodged against Fox for being an undesirable alien – still, for participating in political activities – is still being heard in the bureau.
Earlier President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that he himself ordered an investigation into Fox for “disorderly conduct.” He justified it as a legal move against “undesirable” aliens.
“I ordered her to be investigated, not deported at once, not arrested, but to invite her to an investigation for a disorderly conduct,” Duterte said in a speech.
The President made the claim two days after Immigration operatives arrested Fox in her house in Quezon City, detained her in the bureau for almost 24 hours, and released her the following day pending further investigation.
Fox had taken part in rallies seeking the release of political prisoners and urging authorities to respect human rights but she denied she was engaged in politicking.
“It’s a violation of sovereignty,” Duterte said, accusing Fox of badmouthing his administration. “You do not have that right to criticize us. Do not insult my country.
“We never did that to Australia. We never did that to (a) European country. Why don’t you criticize your own government, the way you handle the refugees, hungry and dying and you turn them back to the open sea.”
Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna party-list lauded the Justice department’s ruling, saying Guevarra deserves a “pat on the back.”
“The facts speak for themselves: Sister Patricia Fox deserves to stay in the Philippines and continue her missionary works with the peasants, lumad and poor Filipinos,” Zarate said in a statement released Monday.
Zarate is part of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc, which filed a bill seeking to grant Fox a Filipino citizenship.
In House Bill 7806, the seven-member bloc said the nun deserves a “fitting recognition for her selfless service to the poor and oppressed Filipinos.”
“For 27 years, Sister Pat lived with and served the farmers, indigenous peoples and other marginalized people in the communities,” the bloc said. “By living with the poor and oppressed, Sister Pat has come to understand, experience and embrace the culture and the struggle of the poor Filipino majority.”
“It is a response to the call of many farmers, fisherfolk and indigenous people whose lives were touched and helped by Sister Pat,” it added. (With a report from Philippine News Agency/PN)
