Año orders probe on tension between detained activist, jail guards during Baby River’s wake

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said he has ordered an investigation to determine if there  were lapses on how Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel escorted detained activist Reina Mae Nasino during the wake of her daughter, Baby River.

"I already instructed the chief BJMP Director General Allan Iral to look into the matter and see if there are lapses committed by our BJMP officers and I'm awaiting for the final report," Año told CNN-Philippines.

"Pinatitingnan ko rin kung mayroon silang naging violations diyan sa behavior nila para we will also apply appropriate sanctions," he added.

However, Año said that based on his initial assessment, the jail guards only followed the orders of the court in accompanying Nasino during her child's wake in Pandacan, Manila.

"Sa nakita ko, 'yung ating mga BJMP officers talagang sumunod lang sa tungkulin nila. Wala silang personal agenda, 'yun lang talaga ang kanilang trabaho, madala ng ligtas... kung ano 'yung nakasaad doon sa court order so I appreciate actually ang performance ng ating BJMP officers," he said.

"Our BJMP officers are professional people who are just doing their job. Actually sila 'yung nalagay dito sa alanganin, nagkaroon ng provocation," he added.

Año further reiterated that the BJMP personnel were the ones who were insulted, harassed, and verbally-abused by the supporters of Nasino.

Personnel of the Manila City Jail Female Dormitory, together with police officers, escorted Nasino on what was supposed to be a three-hour visit to her child's wake.

Almost 50 BJMP personnel accompanied Nasino despite the claim of the jail warden that they did not have enough staff.

Nasino's camp had claimed that tension started in the area when the security officers prevented the detained activist from being interviewed by the media.

Baby River was laid to rest last Friday. — RSJ, GMA News