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Australian missionary on Duterte tirade: 'Nagulat ako'


Australian missionary nun Patricia Fox on Thursday said she was surprised with the fiery remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte being arrested by Immigration officials upon his orders.

The President had ordered an investigation on the 71-year-old nun for supposed “disorderly conduct."

During his speech in Camp Aguinaldo the day before, Duterte said: "[Sabi ko] huwag mong papasukin kasi walang hiya ang bunganga ng madreng 'yan. You do not have the right to criticize us."

In Marisol Abdurahman's report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, Fox said she did not know what triggered the President to make such remarks against her.

"Nagulat ako because matagal ako dito. Biglang naging undesirable ako...Di pa sigurado kung bakit ngayon lang," Fox told GMA News.

"Nagulat ako kasi sa akin, hindi ako masyadong importante kaya nagulat ako na ganyan. Pero, syempre, Presidente pa rin siya kaya may karapatan siya," she added.

Fox was arrested for allegedly joining political activities in the country and was released after further investigation revealed she she holds a valid missionary visa, making her a "properly documented alien."

As the President emphasized that he would decide who would be allowed to go in and out of the country, the nun said she hopes to be able to finish her missionary work in the country. 

"President Duterte, mahal ang Pilipinas sa akin. Sana di ko ginagamit ang Filipino. Sana hindi ako ine-exploit ng Pilipinas dito. Sana intindihan ang mission work ko para matuloy trabaho ko bilang madre," she said.

Fox's lawyer, Maria Sol Tuale, said, "We will exhaust all legal remedies and all support from people na talagang nagmamahal and sumusuporta kay Sister Pat and that the President's decision be swayed."

Farmer's protest

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Fox had been detained in 2013 for her alleged participation in an anti-government rally.

"Mali rin na sumama siya sa rally du'n. So hindi namin sila sinisisi noong hinuli nila si Sister Fox," Roque said.

"Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit ngayon, heto na naman, sumama sa protesta, pinupulaan kami," he added.

Roque also denied there was a crackdown on foreign sympathizers of militant groups, saying "Sana isantabi ang mga protesta sa pagpapatupad ng ating batas."

In her defense, Fox clarified she voluntarily complied with officials after being apprehended even if she had no participation in the protest.

"Lumabas kami, tapos nand'yan ang police. They started to arrest people. Sumama ako sa kanila," she said.

"Tapos I stayed with them pero hindi ako mismo kasama ng arrested," she added.

The 71-year-old nun's arrest and detention was met with criticism from the religious and human rights sectors, as well as several lawmakers. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News

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