Sister Patricia Fox: I will see my deportation case to the end

MANILA - Australian nun Patricia Fox on Friday urged the government to extend her visa to allow her to face a deportation case for her alleged involvement in protests in the country.

Fox's visa will expire on September 5. Her camp has applied for an extension, but has yet to hear from the Bureau of Immigration.

"Gusto ko lalaban itong kaso hanggang sa katapusan," Fox said in a press conference.

"Sinabi ko dati mahal ko ang Pilipinas. Ayoko umalis kung ganito ang kalagayan," she said.

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Fox first made headlines in April after she was detained for "illegal political activities" after she took part in a human rights fact-finding mission in Mindanao.

• Australian nun detained, faces deportation for 'political activities'

President Rodrigo Duterte also slammed the foreign missionary for meddling with local affairs instead of propagating her faith.

Fox said keeping in touch with farmers and ordinary workers is part of her mission in the Philippines.

"Bilang taong simbahan, ang mensahe namin ay good news. Ano ba ang good news sa mga magsasaka? Lupa. Ano ang good news para sa mga manggagawa? Siyempre regular na trabaho, disenteng sahod," Fox said without directly saying that she took part in local protests.

"'Yan ang mga ginagawa ko at walang masama sa ginagawa ko," Fox said.

"Para sa akin yan ang hamon sa mga taong simbahan: palaging nasa panig ng mga inaapi, mga mahihirap," she said.

Next week, Fox's camp will ask the Department of Justice to overturn a deportation ruling issued against her by the Bureau of Immigration.

• Patricia Fox to appeal deportation order before Justice dept