Sister Fox 'more Filipina', patriotic for standing with poor, political prisoners say

MANILA, Philippines — Australian lay missionary Sister Patricia Fox "is more a Filipina and a patriot" for working alongside and championing the marginalized, political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig said.

"Seeing the struggle and the violations against marginalized communities, it is inevitable for her to find out that many farmers and indigenous peoples are being wrongly imprisoned for the defense of their land and communities. This is how she has come to know and support our struggle," political prisoners detained in the jail's Special Intensive Care Area 1 said in a statement forwarded by rights group Karapatan.

Karapatan and other activist groups say that charges against the political prisoners, many of whom are accused of being members of the New People's Army, are trumped up. 

The political prisoners said Fox has been an advocate of farmers and IP communities, and a government order for her to leave the country for participating in "political activities" is "anti-Filipino" since it would disadvantage the poor sectors she has been working with.

"She is more Filipina and a patriot than Duterte and his minions in government," the political prisoners said, saying that, in contrast, "foreign investors who come in to plunder our natural resources and exploit the country’s cheap labor are being welcomed with open arms."

They said they are with Fox "in this fight against the government’s political persecution of church people and foreign nationals who support the people’s aspiration for land, jobs, living wage, and other democratic rights."

Fox was detained by the Bureau of Immigration earlier this month and released after a day. On April 25, the bureau announced that her missionary visa had been revoked because "she was found to have engaged in activities that are not allowed under the terms and conditions of her visa."

An Immigration order bars foreigners from joining political activities, whether in support of or against the government.

Fox has been the recent target of President Rodrigo Duterte's tirades. The president, in a speech before the Filipino community in Singapore on Saturday night, cursed at her and reminded foreigners in the Philippines that they do not have a right to criticize him since they are only tourists.

READ: Duterte says he ordered Immigration to investigate Australian nun

Fox: I did not criticize Duterte

But Fox, 71, said in a press briefing last Thursday said that she "did not say anything [about Duterte]."

The statement was in reponse photos of Fox that Malacañang presented of her speaking at a rally organized by Kilusang Mayo Uno and Gabriela party-list in front of the local Coca-Cola factory in Davao City on April 9.

She said she was asked to give words of support. She said she told workers that "ang puso ko ay nasa inyo (my heart is with you)". She said she also told them that workers have a right to form unions, to a just wage and to security of tenure.

She also told them that she hoped they could return to work soon.

"'Yan lang ang sinabi ko (That is all I said)," Fox, who has learned Filipino in 27 years of being a missionary in the Philippines, said.

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