By Genalyn Kabiling
Australian nun Patricia Fox is not yet off the hook even after Department of Justice (DOJ) reversed a directive of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revoking her missionary visa, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the deportation case against Fox was still pending despite the latest DOJ decision.
Patricia Fox
(Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN) "Sister Fox is not yet off the hook. Ang napawalang bisa lang po ng DOJ is the decision of the Commission on Immigration and Deportation which nullified her missionary visa. Ang sabi po ng DOJ walang ganyang kapangyarihan ang CID ,” Roque said during a press conference in Cotabato City. "Pero nakabinbin pa po 'yung deportation proceedings kaya malinaw po sa desisyon ni Justice Secretary Guevarra, this is without prejudice po sa desisyon ng CID sa deportation proceedings ," he added. Roque said the issue surrounding the deportation case was whether or not Fox was engaged in political activities in the country. "So uulitin ko po she's not off the hook. Ongoing po ang deportation proceedings. Antayin po natin ang desisyon ng CID on the issue on whether or not sumapi sa pulitika itong si Sister Fox ,” he said. The justice department recently granted the petition filed by Fox that the immigration bureau has no legal right to forfeit visas. The BI earlier revoked the nun's missionary visa and ordered her to leave the country within 30 days. The bureau claimed Fox, 71, violated the terms of her missionary visa when she got involved in political activities such protest rallies. Guevarra, however, explained that the BI could not simply create new procedures to withdraw a visa already granted to a foreigner. He said the bureau should resolve the deportation case against Fox and decide whether or not to cancel her visa. Fox was detained for a day last April after President Duterte ordered an investigation for her alleged "disorderly conduct.” Duterte has warned that he would arrest foreigns who defame the government in political activities in the country. He insisted that foreigners have no right to criticize or insult the Philippine government because unlike Filipinos, they don't pay the salaries of government officials here.
Patricia Fox(Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN) "Sister Fox is not yet off the hook. Ang napawalang bisa lang po ng DOJ is the decision of the Commission on Immigration and Deportation which nullified her missionary visa. Ang sabi po ng DOJ walang ganyang kapangyarihan ang CID ,” Roque said during a press conference in Cotabato City. "Pero nakabinbin pa po 'yung deportation proceedings kaya malinaw po sa desisyon ni Justice Secretary Guevarra, this is without prejudice po sa desisyon ng CID sa deportation proceedings ," he added. Roque said the issue surrounding the deportation case was whether or not Fox was engaged in political activities in the country. "So uulitin ko po she's not off the hook. Ongoing po ang deportation proceedings. Antayin po natin ang desisyon ng CID on the issue on whether or not sumapi sa pulitika itong si Sister Fox ,” he said. The justice department recently granted the petition filed by Fox that the immigration bureau has no legal right to forfeit visas. The BI earlier revoked the nun's missionary visa and ordered her to leave the country within 30 days. The bureau claimed Fox, 71, violated the terms of her missionary visa when she got involved in political activities such protest rallies. Guevarra, however, explained that the BI could not simply create new procedures to withdraw a visa already granted to a foreigner. He said the bureau should resolve the deportation case against Fox and decide whether or not to cancel her visa. Fox was detained for a day last April after President Duterte ordered an investigation for her alleged "disorderly conduct.” Duterte has warned that he would arrest foreigns who defame the government in political activities in the country. He insisted that foreigners have no right to criticize or insult the Philippine government because unlike Filipinos, they don't pay the salaries of government officials here.