Australian nun refutes Palace claims on labor rally

MANILA, Philippines — Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox yesterday admitted she was the person in photographs shown yesterday by presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. but insisted these were not taken during a rally.

“I think what he is referring is the Coca-Cola incident. It wasn’t a rally. It was meant to be a press conference, but because there were so many other things going on there was no press,” Fox said  in a news conference in Quezon City.

Fox, 71, confirmed she was present at the gathering of demonstrators in front of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines in Davao City, President Duterte’s hometown, on April 9.

She, however, claimed she only delivered a solidarity message to lift the workers’ spirits.

“I told them I feel very bad for them because they have been working for so long,” she said. “I told them as far as I know the government is looking into contractualization because it was a contract that was cancelled.”

She recalled telling the demonstrators  they have the right to demand fair wages.

Fox has refused to engage in a war of words with President Duterte, saying her only desire is to avoid deportation.

“I hope I can stay in the country because I love it here,” she said.

Fox’s lawyer Kathy Panguban, of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), said the nun has the right to join such activities.

“This right is recognized not only in the Constitution but also under international laws,” she said.

Panguban added that they are looking at the possibility of having a directive issued by the Bureau of Immigration to be declared unconstitutional, referring to an order that “prohibits foreigners from joining, supporting, contributing or involving themselves in whatever manner in any rally, assembly or gathering whether for or against the government.”

For his part, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said they welcome the move of NUPL to file a case questioning the state’s sovereign right to restrict the participation of foreigners in political activities.

Meanwhile, the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa ng Agrikultura (UMA)  appealed yesterday to the Duterte administration to stop deportation proceedings against Fox.

“Instead of spreading persistent lies against Sister Pat to prove that she should be deported for engaging in political activities in the country, President Duterte and his minions should respect the nun’s missionary work among peasants, agricultural workers and indigenous peoples in the country,” UMA said.

UMA noted that Malacañang had earlier declared Fox’s arrest as a mistake, but Roque made a turnaround last Friday by showing photos of Fox among the Coca-Cola workers.

UMA secretary general John Milton Lozande Sr.  confirmed Fox’s claim, saying the nun was in Davao as a member of an international fact-finding mission from April 6 to 9.

“Sister Pat has also publicly stated that she spoke in front of the striking workers to give them moral and spiritual support. Ten workers of the said company were arrested on April 2 when they were violently dispersed, and 10 of them, including their leader, were arrested and charged with resisting arrest and grave coercion,” UMA said.

“Another lie that Roque is peddling against Sister Pat is that she was arrested during a rally at Hacienda Luisita and was charged for various offenses,” UMA said.

UMA recalled that in 2013, Fox, together with Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap and nine others, were arrested by the police during a fact-finding mission at Hacienda Luisita, but only the nine were charged by the police for direct assault. 

Fox volunteered to stay with those arrested at Camp General F. Macabulos until they were released on bail in the same year, added UMA. – With Rhodina Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan, Ding Cervantes