CBCP appeals Immigration's leave order vs Sister Fox

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has appealed anew with the Bureau of Immigration to reconsider its order to Sister Patricia Fox to leave the country.

Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president, has asked the Immigration to “make a reconsideration of their order for Sr. Patricia Fox to leave the country.”

While conceding that Fox’s case is being handled by proper authorities, he implored: “We believe in the sincerity and dedication of Sr. Patricia to serve our people.”

READ: Sister Patricia Fox: I did not criticize Duterte

Valles admitted that the CBCP is only working on information coming from news reports as of this time as their secretariat has yet to get more information from Sr. Fox's case.

“With a hope for reconsideration regarding the BI’s order after giving Sr. Patricia a chance to explain herself again, in a spirit of dialogue, could she be given a chance to stay and continue serving our people?” the CBCP president added.

“We believe in the sincerity and dedication of Sr. Patricia to serve our people. We believe further that she is moved to serve our people by the love of Christ,” Valles also said.

The Immigration has revoked Fox’s missionary visa over her alleged participation of partisan political activity in the country, which is prohibited from her visa.

Immigration spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang on Thursday has asserted that Fox’s case is not a persecution of the religious. She also assured that the Immigration applies its laws “uniformly and fairly so no religious persecution” is being done.

Mangrobang also said that Fox will be given an opportunity to explain the nature of her missionary work on her counter-affivdavit on the ongoing deportation case.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already admitted that it was him who ordered a probe into Fox. He blasted the 71-year-old missionary for having a “shameful mouth.”

Fox, who is facing a deportation case and was ordered to leave the country in less than a month, however, said that she will continue her humanitarian work wherever she may be.