Controversial Australian nun Patricia Fox is staying in the country for the time being, thanks to the intervention of the Department of Justice.
The DoJ quickly responded to an appeal aired by Fox’s lawyers, who filed a petition for review of the BI’s order cancelling the nun’s missionary visa.
The DoJ ordered the BI 10 days to comment on Fox’s petition. The nun’s camp, meanwhile, has five days to answer BI’s comment once it was received.
The petition effectively put the BI’s deportation order on hold and also reinstates Fox’s missionary visa.
Fox’s legal team welcomed the decision and DoJ’s quick action on their pleading.
“Sa bahagi ng legal team ni Sister Pat, we welcome itong mabilis na pag recognize ng Department of Justice,” Kathy Panguban, one of Fox’s lawyers, said at a forum in Quezon City.
“While we welcome this prompt issuance of an order of the Department of Justice requiring the Bureau of Immigration to comment within 10 days on the petition that we filed, we will not be complacent, we will not let our guards down,” she added.
“Hindi po magiging complacent ‘yung mga abogado ni Sister Pat Fox dahil alam naman po natin na no less than the President… wants her out of the country,” she added.
Fox continues to insist that she has not done anything wrong, saying that her participation in rallies, dialogues, and fact-finding mission was part of her responsibility as a nun.