Catholic Nun Deportation

Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi Do not meddle or intrude with the internal affairs of our sovereign government and rightly so as the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was set to expel and deport the Catholic Church Sister Patricia Fox back to Australia after she violated the terms and condition of her Philippine tourist visa.

President Duterte’s spokesperson is quoted as saying: “It is a timely reminder to those who stay and sojourn in their country that they are not entitled to the same rights and privileges granted to the citizens of Philippines.”

It is correct to say the Catholic nun was involved in other activities which were not part of a norm as stipulated in her visa where President Duterte’s immigration watchdogs were tagging her every movement with her illegal involvement.

She must not hide behind the cloth while interfering with the Philippine Government’s internal affairs and the governance of their state where she must remain in the confines of the church mission, but not bust the demarcated line just because she is a Catholic Nun.

It is all about respect, maintaining vigilance, refrain, compliance and observance, which is a classic example that also applies to our sovereign nation Fiji. The President of the Philippines has clearly shown that religion and government do not mix.

The Australia and New Zealand immigration department would have done exactly just the same if a Philippine nun or priest was illegally involved in such activities in their own country.

Get it right.