Sister Patricia Fox loses appeal to renew missionary visa

Australian religious worker Patricia Fox has lost her appeal for the renewal of her expired missionary visa by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday.

Guevarra said the bureau has denied Fox's motion for reconsideration against an earlier decision that similarly refused to extend her missionary visa, which expired on September 5.

"But she was directed to downgrade and apply for a temporary visitor's visa instead, which has a validity of up to 59 days," Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

In a statement, the BI said the October 4 denial found that Fox's appeal "failed to raise any new and substantial arguments" and contained “merely a reiteration or rehash of arguments already submitted, and found to be without merit."

Philippine authorities accuse Fox, 72, of violating the terms of her missionary visa and of being an undesirable alien because of her participation in "political activities" prohibited among foreigners.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte ordered her investigated for "disorderly conduct." The BI has since ordered her deported.

While the Australian missionary admits joining assemblies of farmers and indigenous peoples, she insists her participation was legal and part of her missionary work.

She is separately challenging the deportation order through a petition for review filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ). Guevarra said this appeal will be resolved "in due time."

The BI filed its required answer to Fox's appeal, a petition for review, last Wednesday, October 3. She is in turn set to file her reply to the BI's comment on Monday.

"Sr. Pat hopes that the DOJ will settle the substantive issues raised in our Petition for Review, particularly on the right of foreigners to their exercise of freedom of expression and assembly, universally recognized by both domestic and international laws, which the BI refused to squarely address," her lawyers said in a statement.

The DOJ had granted Fox reprieve by overruling the BI and reinstating her missionary visa, which had been "forfeited" by the bureau. — RSJ, GMA News