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It's difficult to imagine a less threatening figure than Sister Patricia Fox.
But the 71-year-old Catholic nun has riled the Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte and is now under investigation and facing deportation after almost 30 years in the Philippines.
"They said I was arrested for disorderly conduct," Sister Pat told 7.30.
"I said, I've got a disorderly room, not disorderly conduct.
"The role of the religious is to be with those who are suffering, oppressed, to be with those who are asserting their rights."
'He's clearly angry. That's frightening'
Sister Pat has long spoken up for the rights of workers, farmers and students in the Philippines.
It was a "fact finding" mission to the southern island of Mindanao, which is still under martial law, that brought attention to Sister Pat.
Mr Duterte personally ordered her to be investigated for "illegal political activities", and went on to publicly denounce her in a televised address.
He accused her of treating "the Philippines like a mattress to wipe your feet on" and told her not to "insult us every time you open your mouth".
"He's clearly angry. That's frightening," Sister Pat said.
"He has the power to say I have to go tomorrow."
Immigration and intelligence officers presented her with "evidence" of her undesirability: photographs taken of her meeting with aggrieved farmers and prisoners during the visit to Mindanao.
"I don't so much speak publicly but I do attend activities and support people struggling over land rights, the rights of workers," Sister Pat said.
'I don't think I'm walking all over the Philippines'
Sister Pat has plenty of support in the Philippines.
"I was surprised how many people came out. Urban poor farmers. I had all these church people come and visit me," she said.
"They clearly don't think I'm walking all over the Philippines."
Despite the prospect of deportation at the whim of an unpredictable president, she is not prepared to just lie low.
"We're going to the Commission of Human Rights," she said.
"They're looking into what's happened."
Undeterred by the President's attention, she attended a protest by poor farmers and indigenous people from Mindanao who've been evicted to make way for large plantations.
"I'll be in trouble again for all the placards," she quipped as she mingled with the protesters.
But she's not concerned for her own safety.
"I've certainly had friends, a priest who was helping political prisoners was shot, another friend, an environmental worker was killed," she said.
"I've never seen myself as much of a high-profile person.
"Now I think I'm probably safer."
Supporters 'make you want to be here'
And if she is deported?
"I'll be very sad," she admitted.
"When they come out and support you, they make you want to be here.
"So many messages. Overwhelming.
"I don't want to leave here."
Topics: human-rights, rights, world-politics, philippines
First posted