The Philippines has ordered an Australian Catholic nun to leave the country within 30 days after the immigration bureau revoked her missionary visa for joining protest rallies, an immigration official says.
Patricia Anne Fox, a 71 year-old superior of the Notre Dame de Sion in the Philippines, a congregation of Catholic nuns, was detained for a day last week after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered her investigation for "disorderly conduct".
In a one-page order, immigration bureau head Jaime Morente asked Fox to leave the Philippines after "she was found to have engaged in activities that are not allowed under the terms and conditions of her visa."
Fox, who has been in the country for more than 27 years, has 30 days to exit the Philippines after receipt of the order.
Her renewable missionary visa, which was due to expire in September 2018, was cancelled on Monday, but an immigration spokeswoman said she can still return to the mainly Catholic Southeast Asian country as a tourist, not as a missionary.
"We will file a motion for reconsideration on this order," said Jobert Pahilga, a lawyer for the Australian nun. "She has not participated in any partisan activity. She is a nun."
Fox said in a statement on Wednesday she was surprised by the decision as she thought she would have 10 days to put in a counter affidavit to answer the charges.
"I am very sad that the decision at present is that I leave the Philippines," she said.
"As a Christian, believing that our mission is to bring God's Kingdom to the here and now, I couldn't help but to get involved both with projects, such as training in organic farming, to uplift the livelihood of the farmers, but also to advocate with them for their rights to land, livelihood, peace, justice and security, all universal human rights which the church sees as integral to her mission," Fox said.
"It seems this is what has brought me into conflict with the Philippine government.
"I am still hoping for a chance to explain how I see my mission as a religious sister and maybe the decision can be reconsidered," she said.
The left-wing activist group Bayan (Nation) condemned the expulsion order of a nun who "has done so much for Philippine farmers in her nearly three decades stay here".
"The Duterte regime is paranoid and afraid of an elderly nun working for human rights and social justice for the poor," Bayan leader Renato Reyes said in a statement.
In a speech last week Duterte said he ordered immigration officials to look into Fox's political activities.
"It's a violation of sovereignty," he said, accusing Fox of badmouthing his administration. "You do not have that right to criticise us. Do not insult my country."
with AP
Australian Associated Press
