BI confirms arrest of Australian nun

Sr. Patricia Fox is being held at BI intelligence division in Intramuros, Manila. She is wearing a checkered white blouse and a gray skirt. @Team_Inquirer pic.twitter.com/KVxqqYa6R0

— Julie M. Aurelio ✵ (@JMAurelioINQ) April 16, 2018

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday confirmed the arrest of an Australian nun who has been staying in the country advocating human rights.

Sister Patricia Fox, 71, is an Australian citizen living in the Philippines for more than a decade. She came to the country as a lay missionary of the Congregacion de Notre Dame de Sion (Congregation of Our Lady of Sion), a Roman Catholic religious group.

She is an active land reform and human rights advocate and member of Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and Pagkakaisa para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (PATRIA).

On Monday, she was visited by Immigration officers at her house in Quezon City and invited to the BI office for a random check and verification of her immigration papers and status.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said Fox is currently being detained by the BI.

She recently joined the International Fact Finding and Solidarity Mission (IFFSM) in Southern Mindanao region to probe the killings and human rights violations against farmers. Last February, she also joined the International Solidarity Mission on the situation of Lumad and indigenous people of Mindanao.

“We confirm the apprehension of Patricia Fox pursuant to a Mission Order issued by Comm. Jaime Morente. The apprehending officers are still in the process of completing their reports, documentation and affidavit of arrest. We await the submission of the reports and affidavits before we issue our official statement,” Immigration spokesperson Atty. Maria Antonette Mangrobang said in a text message.

She said Fox will undergo deportation proceedings.

Fox is the second foreign national human rights advocate in the span of two days that was arrested by the BI.

Last Sunday, the BI detained and immediately deported Giacomo Filibeck, leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES).

In 2017, Filibeck criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. /je