Guevarra: Fox may apply for tourist visa

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday said that Sister Patricia Fox may still remain in the country, with a tourist visa, as her deportation case has yet to attain finality.

Fox and her legal team vowed that they will exhaust all legal remedies to overturn her deportation order.

On Monday, Fox and her team will troop to the DOJ—head agency of the Immigration—to file a petition for review. They will also seek for a clarification on her legal status as her missionary visa is set to expire on September 5.

Guevarra, in a message to reporters, said the Immigration may downgrade Fox’s visa into a tourist one.

This, however, is “for a limited period, subject to outcome of any further proceedings on the deportation issue,” added the Justice chief.

Lawyer Jojo Pahilga, last August 20, filed on behalf of Fox a plea for the renewal of the Australian nun’s missionary visa.

Pahilga reiterated that the renewal of Fox’s missionary visa should be taken as a separate matter from her deportation proceedings.

Fox, for her part, said in the televised press conference in Filipino: “I want to say that I want to fight for this case until the end. I asked for a renewal of my visa to see this case until the end.” She added that she wants to continue helping Filipinos.

The Immigration bureau on August 29 has upheld its deportation order against Fox, saying that she failed to present new matters in her motion for reconsideration that would warrant a reversal of the ruling.

The Australian nun has spent 27 years in the country, helping those behind bars, indigenous peoples and land reform advocates.