Malacanang denied on Thursday there is a crackdown against foreigners who are critical of the administration.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated the government is just implementing the law when Australian missionary Sister Patricia Fox was detained in the Bureau of Immigration headquarters and when Giacomo Filibeck, deputy secretary-general of the Party of European Socialists (PES), was refused entry and immediately deported when he arrived in the country.

"It's not a crackdown, that's really the law. As I said, dura lex sed lex, the law may be harsh, but such is the law," he said.

Roque noted that during previous administrations, there were foreigners who were deported for engaging in partisan activities.

He cited that during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, Thomas van Beersum of the Netherlands was arrested in August 2013 after he was caught in photos taunting a crying policeman during a protest against Aquino's State of the Nation Address.

A Canadian student who was lining up on the immigration area for a Cebu flight bound for Hong Kong was intercepted by the immigration officers for participating in a political activity, a violation of her condition for stay in the country, during the previous administration, he said.

Aside from the Commonwealth Act, Roque said there is an existing operation order signed by former Immigration chief Siegfred Mison and approved by then Justice Secretary and now detained Senator Leila de Lima prohibiting foreign tourists in engaging in political activities in the Philippines.

"It's very clear. There's no crackdown. That's really the law," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS