Jailed activist pulled out of baby's wake in tense end to short furlough

Jail personnel pulled out activist Reina Mae Nasino from her infant child's wake minutes ahead of schedule on Wednesday, bringing a tense end to the second to last time she would see her daughter.

Video from Super Radyo dzBB's Sam Nielsen showed the camp of Nasino shouting at the detainee's guards.

Burol ng anak ng aktibistang si Reina Mae Nasino sa La Funeraria Rey sa Pandacan, Maynila, nabalot ng tensyon. | via @dzbbsamnielsen @dzbb pic.twitter.com/kzObNMLvA8

— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) October 14, 2020

"Iniinterview siya ng media nang bigla siyang hinila ng isang jail guard para iiwas sa pagbibigay ng pahayag," said Kurt Dela Pena of Kapatid, a group supporting jailed activists.

Nasino left the funeral home in Pandacan at around 3:40 p.m. The Manila Regional Trial Court allowed her to visit the wake from 1 to 4 p.m.

Reina Mae Nasino leaves the funeral home, pulled out by jail staff before 4 p.m. She was given by the court until 4 to stay at the wake. The next and the last time she will see her daughter is on Friday, the day of the burial. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/i0bgJR9UPn

— Nicole Lagrimas (@nclagrimas) October 14, 2020
 

She was also allowed to attend the burial of her daughter, three-month-old River, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday. In total, she was given a six-hour furlough, shortened by the court from the original three days upon request by the jail warden who had cited the lack of escort personnel.

Asked for reaction on the incident, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) spokesman Jail Chief Inspector Xavier Solda claimed that Nasino's camp was using the wake for their own interest.

He said jail guards are expecting a peaceful wake but a lot of people are in the funeral parlor. Solda, however, admitted that he does not know who started the tension during the wake.

"Kaya lamang ngayon kasi, nalaman namin na nagkakagulo na, ginagamit na 'yung sitwasyon para sa kung anumang kadahilanan... Kasi kung 'yan ay lamay, di ba dapat payapa tayo na naroon, bakit kailangan tayong magsisisigaw noong nariyan na ang media, di ba dapat maski ikaw at ang kapamilya, nirerespeto natin ang naroon na lamay. Bakit kailangan may magsisigaw?" Solda told GMA News Online.

"Hindi klaro sa akin kung sino ba ang nauna pero ang paliwanag sa sitwasyon doon, 'yung inaasahan natin na magiging mahinahon ang lahat at pamilya lamang ang nandoon, kasi napakarami ng tao, masyado ng nagsisiksikan doon sa venue. Ang sa amin lang naman is masecure 'yung PDL, pagalis niya ng facility at pagbalik niya doon sa Manila female dormitory," he added.

Solda also pointed out that the jail guards were just protecting the safety of Nasino, especially now that there is a pandemic. He said Nasino would still be isolated upon arriving in the jail facility.

"Kailangan din naming protektahan 'yung PDL na nasa aming pangangalaga so kung magkakaroon ng komosyon o kung ano pa mang hindi naaayon doon sa plano na safe siya na madala doon sa venue at safe siya na mapull-out sa venue, then kailangan namin siyang i-secure," he said.

Solda said the BJMP has been supporting Nasino since the time that she requested to attend her child's wake.

"Ang BJMP nagmamalasakit kami sa sitwasyon ni PDL Nasino. Nauunawaan namin 'yung kalagayan niya kaya naman noong humiling sila sa korte, sinuportahan ng BJMP 'yung kanilang hiling na pansamantala siyang makalabas para mapuntahan niya 'yung kaniyang anak," Solda said.

River died of pneumonia last October 9, weeks after being separated from her mother.—LDF, GMA News