Sister Patricia Fox: I’m insignificant

Australian nun Patricia Fox was surprised that President Rodrigo Duterte has singled her out for investigation.

In an episode of Bawal Ang Pasaway with Mareng Winnie on Monday, Fox said she was "insignificant" and had never criticized the Duterte administration.

"Mabigat 'yan kasi para sa akin insignificant ako tahimik ako... wala akong ano tapos biglang ano... kaya nagulat ako bakit," Fox said.

Duterte last week said that he had ordered the investigation of the 71-year-old nun due to her alleged "disorderly conduct."

The missionary said she had never met Duterte and was clueless as regards what prompted the President to have her investigated.

"Mahirap malaman, mahirap sabihin. Mahirap malaman kung bakit... it's a coincidence na galing ako sa fact-finding. Ang information ay galing sa fact-finding, biglang lumabas ito..." Fox said.

She said she had loved the Philippines since she first visited the country.

"Ang totoo nag-visit ako sa Pilipinas nung 1984. Parang I fell in love with the Philippines. Ang nature ko ay Australian pero ang puso ko ay Pilipino," Fox said.

Maria Sol Taule, Fox's legal counsel, said Duterte was fed with wrong information about the nun.

"We did not know where did he get the information about that. Maybe it's fake news from any other unreliable source yet again," Taule said.

Taule insisted that Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents made a mistake in arresting her client.

"The arrest was warrantless, its's illegal because she's not doing anything bad during the time of arrest and ahd Sister Pat committed anything wrong, dapat nagapply sila in proper ways to secure warrant of arrest," Taule said.

"Basta basta na lang silang pumunta sa bahay, 'yun po ang naging problema. Delikado kung pababayaan natin," she added.

The lawyer pointed out that BI personnel were not able to produce the mission order supposedly issued by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente to apprehend Fox.

"I saw Sister Pat sitting in one corner and I was demanding for the papers doon sa mga officers of the Bureau of Immigration pero wala sila mapakita sa amin. Sabi ko, we are clueless, at least 'yung mission order na sinasabi niyo na pinakita niyo kay Sister Pat, they cannot produce it," Taule said.

"Ang sinasabi nila all the papers are in the legal department and they are

processing it. Tatawagan na lang nila kami for the inquest proceedings," Taule added.

Fox, who has been staying in the country fro 27 years, was arrested on April 16 for allegedly joining political activities in the Philippines.

A day after, she was released by authorities for further investigation after discovering that she had a valid missionary visa. This made her a "properly documented alien." —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News