(Eagle News) — The Palace on Friday, April 20, showed pictures of Catholic nun Patricia Fox apparently speaking in rallies, debunking the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines claim that the Australian nun whom President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered investigated never spoke in the protests.
“Well I now have a picture…Malinaw na malinaw po na kasama po siya, may hawak po siyang mikropono..I am just telling the bishops, hindi po sinabi ni Sister Fox sa inyo ang buong katotohanan,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
One of the pictures showed Fox speaking in an April 9 rally organized by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Gabriela party-list in Davao.
Roque earlier said that Philippine law provides that “those (who are) in the Philippines are here because of our consent for them to be here, but they are not allowed to engage in any political activity….”
Fox was arrested by immigration authorities on Monday, April 16, for her alleged violation of immigration laws when she attended rallies.
But she was later released after it was found she had a missionary visa.
Her lawyer said, however, that proceedings against her stemming from the charge of her being an “undesirable alien” would still continue.
On Wednesday, April 18, President Duterte admitted it was he who ordered Fox investigated.
He said that while Filipinos had “unlimited freedom of expression,” foreigners joining rallies was a violation of national sovereignty.
Duterte also criticized Fox for not criticizing her own government instead.
“The way you handled the refugees, hungry and dying, and you turn them back to the open sea,” he said.
In 2013, a Dutch activist was also arrested after pictures showed he was taunting a policeman during protests held against then-President Benigno Aquino III, who was holding his State of the Nation Address.
