Fox to Immigration: You cannot define my missionary work

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration and its agents “have no right” to define what is missionary work, Sister Patricia Fox said.

Fox, on May 3, has filed her 26-page counter-affidavit on the deportation case filed against her by Immigration agents. The Immigration bureau seeks Fox’s expulsion from the country due to her alleged violation of immigration rules by joining in partisan activities while she is in the Philippines with a missionary visa.

But Fox argued that Intelligence Agent Melody Penelope Gonzales “has no right to define and delimit what constitute the apostolate and missionary works of the Sisters of Our Lady Sion.”

“To allow Agent Gonzales and perhaps the BI to define and delimit the scope of missionary and apostolate works would be to violate the provision of the Philippine Constitution which prohibits the government to impair the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship,” Fox said.

Citing a provision under the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Constitution, Fox stressed that “no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

“My right to the exercise of religious freedom and worship in the Philippines, which also include the free exercise and performance of the apostolate and missionary works, are also protected by the Bill of Rights guaranteed under Philippine Constitution,” she added.

The 71-year-old Australian nun also said that the constitutional provision covers both foreigners and Filipinos.

READ: Critics ask: If Duterte has nothing to hide, why the crackdown on foreign activists?

Photo at a rally

The Immigration on April 25 said that it has canceled Fox’s missionary visa and directed her to leave the country within 30 days since receipt of order.

READ: Philippines does not want Australian nun in the country over this photo

Immigration spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang earlier said that its board, when ruling on the cancellation of the Australian nun’s visa, “specifically cited a photograph taken of Fox last April 7 in Davao City where she was seen holding a placard demanding the release of all political prisoners in the country.”

While Fox admitted having joined rallies or assemblies of farmers and indigenous peoples, she asserted: “They are not political or partisan activities for or against the government but simply to help promote and protect the rights of the poor and the needy.”

She added that demanding an end to killings or to respect human rights are “universal call[s] directed to everyone, not just the government.”

“Joining or participating in activities that calls for implementation of social justice and respect for human rights are part and parcel of my missionary work,” Fox asserted.

Fox spent the last 27 years engaging in missionary and humanitarian work in the country. Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines attest that Fox has worked to help farmers and indigenous peoples.