Motivation for case vs. Sister Patricia? Report on military abuses in Mindanao — lawyer

The lawyer of the Australian missionary recently ordered to leave the Philippines believes a report detailing alleged military abuses in Mindanao could be the motivation behind the government's case against the elderly nun.

Jobert Pahilga, counsel for Sister Patricia Fox, also said Wednesday that he will question the Bureau of Immigration's (BI) new order before the Court of Appeals, or the Supreme Court, if necessary.

"We will move for the reconsideration of the order of the BI, and we will ask the BI to conduct a full-blown trial and hearing on the case of Sister Pat. That is our course of action right now," he told a morning program on ANC.

Asked on what he thinks could be behind the case against Fox, who has earned President Rodrigo Duterte's public admonishment, Pahilga revealed a report produced by a fact-finding mission that the nun was part of.

"Maybe it was because the military are afraid of the report that will come out of the fact-finding mission where Sister Pat participated, as the report details the violations committed by the military during the implementation of martial law in Mindanao region," he said.

"The report that led to this case against Sister Pat was submitted by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency," he added.

Pahilga decried the BI's order, saying it appears it was issued with "grave abuse of discretion" and violated the nun's right to due process, which he said she is entitled to even as a foreigner. He said their camp had just received a supplemental report and been given 10 days to file a counter-affidavit.

"That is in violation of the right Sister Pat to due process of law, and also that is in violation of the order issue earlier by Commissioner [Jaime] Morente giving her 10 days from receipt of the supplemental report to file her counter-affidavit. Sister Pat has the right, even if she is an alien, has the right to be heard, right to confront whoever are the witnesses of the Bureau of Immigration," he said.

Pahilga also denied that Fox participated in rallies, saying instead that part of her missionary work was to immerse herself in farmers' plights through fact-finding missions "pursuant to their congregation's call in the pursuit of justice, peace and human rights."

"Sister Pat merely re-echoed what she heard from farmers about their situation, she did not speak in any rally, she did not participate in any press conference, especially press conferences condemning the administration, she had not issued any statement against the government," he said.

Fox was arrested and detained at the Immigration bureau's headquarters in Intramuros, Manila, last week due to "illegal political activities." She was released for further investigation the day after.

Duterte admitted ordering the probe against Fox. — BM, GMA News