Sr. Fox counsel to appeal deportation order

The legal counsel of Australian missionary Sister Patricia Fox expressed dismay over the recent order of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to deport the nun for allegedly joining political activities in the country saying, they will file an appeal this coming week.

“Talagang nadismaya kami sa desisyon ng BI kasi it’s totally erroneous at ridiculous sa sinasabi nilang mga argumento doon (We are really dismayed with the decision of the BI because their arguments are totally erroneous and ridiculous),” Lawyer Maria Sol Taule said in a forum in Quezon City.

Taule furthered they will exhaust all legal remedies to overturn the bureau’s resolution as they maintained that the visa of Fox is valid and existing.

She said they intend to challenge the resolution of the BI through filing a motion for reconsideration this coming week.

Based on the order received by the camp of Fox on Thursday, the BI stated that the nun is an “undesirable alien for allegedly participating in political activities in the Philippines.”

Taule said Fox have been doing her missionary work in the country for the past 27 years undisturbed by any deportation case.

“Hindi namin maintindihan ano ba ang ikinakasakit ng feelings ng gobyerno na ito kay Sister Pat (We cannot understand the sentiments of the government over Sister Pat). She did not even say anything bad to the President. What she did is selflessly serve the oppressed sector of the Philippine society at walang masama doon,” Taule explained.

In a media briefing on Friday Sister Fox said she was surprised with the order and hope that they will overturn the decision of the BI.

Should the deportation push through, Fox said it will be hard for her to immediately bid goodbye to the people.

“I don’t think of leaving suddenly because the issue here is the truth and what is justice. There are certain issues that need to be addressed,” she said.

In the order dated July 19, the BI said Fox violated the limitations of her missionary visa stating that “alien missionaries seeking admission in the Philippines under pre-arranged visa must be actually, direct, and exclusively engaged in religious work in the Philippines. They must not engage in partisan political activity in any endeavor not consistent with their religious or missionary vocation.”