Patricia Fox files appeal to reverse deportation order

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said the missionary visa of Australian nun Patricia Fox might be downgraded to tourist, although this would depend on the outcome of her deportation case.

Her missionary visa will expire on Sept. 5.

But the camp of Sister Pat, as she is called, has filed an appeal before the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow her continued stay in the country, asking it to reverse the deportation order the Bureau of Immigration (BI) earlier issued.

The visa “may be downgraded to a tourist visa only, for a limited period, subject to (the) outcome of any further proceedings on the deportation issue,” Guevarra said, adding that this would also depend on the outcome of the petition to review the BI decision, which the nun’s camp is set to file on Monday.

“Unlike the BI, Sister Pat appealed to the DOJ not to prejudge her case. The former cited President Duterte’s outburst against Sr. Pat that she is an undesirable alien as one of the reasons in its earlier decision to deport her. This was, however, denied by the BI in their Aug. 23 resolution that turned down Sr. Pat’s MR,” said Nadja de Vera, Solidarity with the Poor media officer.

Sr. Pat also asked the DOJ to clarify her legal status after her missionary visa expires and after the BI denied her application for visa extension.

“Mahal ko ang Pilipinas. Ayoko umalis na ganito ang kalagayan. Walang mali o masama sa pagtanggol ng karapatang pantao. Basic ito sa international law. Gusto ko din matapos ng maayos ang kaso para mapatunayan na wala ako masamang ginagawa (I love the Philippines. I don’t want to leave this way. There is nothing wrong in fighting for human rights. This is basic in international law. I want to have this case closed properly so I could prove that I have not done anything wrong),” said Sr. Pat at a news briefing in Quezon City.

Fox’s lawyer Sol Taule said, “The BI never faced squarely the issues that we raised. They refused to answer the substantial issues we pointed out.”

De Vera also said they would like the DOJ to answer if Sr. Pat’s participation in cause-oriented activities is a crime “because this hasn’t been proven yet.”    Her group promises to “exhaust all legal remedies that she is entitled to,” including an appeal before the Supreme Court “if the need arises.”

“She is determined to continue her missionary work among the poor and oppressed, not on the narrow and misleading definition of the BI on what this constitutes. She is cherished and loved by those that she serves, which ironically this government finds offensive,” De Vera stressed.

The group also said, “If ever the appeal falls on deaf ears, they are thinking of securing Sr. Pat and bringing her to a safe place. She doesn’t deserve to undergo this ordeal.” – With Rhodina Villanueva