MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ordered Australian nun Patricia Fox to leave the country after it cancelled her missionary visa due to her involvement in partisan political activities.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the 71-year-old Catholic nun’s missionary visa was forfeited by its board of commissioners (BOC) under Sec. 9 (g) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
“She (Fox) was found to have engaged in activities that are not allowed under the terms and conditions of her visa,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
The bureau has given Fox a month to leave the country upon receipt of the decision and ordered the deactivation of her alien certificate registration.
Fox’s missionary visa is due to expire on Sept. 5, 2018.
“We direct Fox to leave the Philippines within 30 days from receipt of this order,” the decision added.
BI Spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang, however, explained that Fox may still enter the country as tourist.
She added that the nun’s deportation case is still pending before the BI Special Prosecutor, as she (Fox) has yet to file her counter-affidavit.
It is only after the parties have been heard, will the case be submitted to the Board of Commissioners for their deliberation on whether or not she will be deported and barred from entering the country in the future, she added.
Last April 16, Fox was apprehended by BI for being an undesirable alien but she was released a day after. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
