NANCY ASKS IMMIGRATION: HOW CAN A 71-YR OLD NUN BE A THREAT?
...says BI must instead go after Chinese drug cartels, sex offenders

Senator Nancy Binay today scored the Bureau of Immigration for excessive use of authority in arresting a 71-year old missionary.

"Apparently, the Bureau of Immigration used excessive authority in connection with the arrest of Sister Patricia, and has acted on a mistaken perception plucked from an imaginary threat. Ang tanong eh 'how can a 71-year old nun be a threat to society?'," the senator pointed out.

Sister Patricia Fox, Mother Superior of Our Lady of Sion, was arrested by Immigration agents on April 16 following a mission order issued by Commissioner Jaime Morente.

"How can an Australian religious person be as outlawed as those Chinese syndicates in the country involved in drugs, gambling and prostitution?" asked Binay, who chairs the Senate committee on social justice.

Sister Patricia has been living in the Philippines for 27 years as a lay missionary who has been active in human rights fact-finding missions in Mindanao.

"Sister Patricia has been helping farmers, lumads and those in the marginalized sectors of society. Pano naging krimen ang pagtulong sa kapwa? What threat does preaching the Word of God pose to society? Siguro ang kailangan pagtuunan ng pansin ng BI eh yung mga illegal aliens na nagpapasok ng droga, yung mga involved sa human smuggling at child pornography at yung nasa terror list ng AFP," she stressed.

According to Binay, the enemy of the State are terrorists and drug syndicates, but with Fox's arrest, the BI clearly overreacted on something that is not of clear and present danger.

"What pose as threats to people and society are drugs, terrorism and sex offenders. Being a Christian nation, we welcome foreign observers and religious missionaries to stay in the country as long as they complied with existing laws," she added.

"It is BI's mandate to secure the country against foreigners whose presence may be deemed threats to national security. Its powers is for the public good and should never be used as a political tool," Binay pointed out.