Duterte ordered Australian nun to be investigated for ‘disorderly conduct’

FILE: President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, April 18, said that he ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to conduct an investigation on the 71-year-old Australian nun Patricia Fox for her alleged “disorderly conduct.” (RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, April 18, said that he ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to conduct an investigation on the 71-year-old Australian nun Patricia Fox for her alleged “disorderly conduct.”

“It was not the military who arrested the nun, the Catholic nun from Australia. It was upon my orders, implemented by the Bureau of Immigration, and I take full responsibility, legal or otherwise,” Duterte said in a speech during the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) change of command in Camp Aguinaldo.

“I ordered her to be investigated, not deported at once, not arrested, but invite her to an investigation for disorderly conduct. You know, the Philippine laws provide that I can deport you or refuse entry if you are an undesirable alien,” he added.

Addressing the “foul-mouthed” nun, Duterte said that Fox has no rights to criticize the Philippines but she could come here and enjoy all the sights.

“Ikaw madre (You, nun), why don’t you criticize your government? The way you handled refugees. Hungry and dying, and you turn them back to the open sea. You’re getting rid of the natives there, and refugees in the island. Bakit hindi ka magyakyak doon (Why don’t you say something about it)?” the President asked.

“You are too presumptuous about looking at the Filipinos. May human rights violation kayo mas grabe. Eh buti dito kriminal ang pinapatay ko, kayo (You have a more grave human rights violation. At least, I’m only killing criminals here, how about you)?” he added.

The Chief Executive told Fox to “stick to your own religion and try to correct abuses within your organization” to address homosexuality, malpractices, and adulterous priests.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. earlier said that the BI authorities may have committed a mistake in detaining Fox for her alleged partisan political activities in the country.

“Mukhang nagkamali dito kay Sister Fox at siguro (It seems that there was a mistake in the case of Sister Fox and maybe) apologies are in order, kasi madali naman siyang pinalabas din ng (because she was immediately released by) CID [Commission on Immigration and Deportation] ‘no. So siguro nagkakamali din naman ng CID (So maybe, the CID committed a mistake),” Roque told GMA.

Fox, mother superior of the Our Lady of Sion congregation in the Philippines, was arrested in pursuant to a mission order issued by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, according to the agency’s spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang.

The Australian nun was released on Tuesday, April 18, “for further investigation” after BI officials found that she holds a valid missionary visa.

Fox was not the only foreigner who recently had problems with BI as her arrest came after an official of the Party of European Socialists (PES) was barred by immigration officials in Cebu to enter the Philippines on April 15, Sunday.

Giacomo Filibeck, deputy secretary-general of the PES, was handed with a slip which shows that he is required to fulfill the “Black List Order (BLO) Lifting” before he can enter the country.

The European human rights leader was among the 20 foreign guests invited by the Akbayan Partylist to attend its Congress.