After being separated for almost two months, jailed activist Reina Mae Nasino reunited with her three-month old baby in a funeral home in Pandacan, Manila on Wednesday past lunch time.
However, an altercation took place in the wake of baby River when jail guards attempted to stop Nasino from giving her statements to the media.
Series of videos during Nasino’s visit trended over Twitter on Wednesday. One of it showed the dispute between the National Union of Peoples Lawyer and Nasino’s jail guards garnered mixed emotions from the netizens.
“This is freedom of expression. Constitutional rights niya (It’s her Constitutional Rights)” one of Nasino’s lawyers argued to the jail guards who were whisking Nasino away from the press as shown in one of the videos.
Mike Navallo, a journalist who was also present in the wake posted a video in a lengthy tweet showing how “difficult it was to pose questions to Nasino because BJMP personnel blocked her view and prevented her from speaking to or coming closer to the media”.
Shortly after the altercation, another commotion took place between BJMP personnel and Nasino’s family and lawyer when jail guards tried to take Nasino away ahead of the time limit of her visit which was still at four in the afternoon.
“Nakikiusap ako sa inyo. Ang order po is alas kwatro pa po. Pagbigyan niyo po kami” Nasino’s relative told the cordon of BJMP personnel as seen in the clips.
Meanwhile, another clip of Nasino eating her late lunch in full PPE suit while being handcuffed also went viral over Twitter earned questions and sympathy from the netizens.
“The government is utterly heartless in not allowing Nasino to grieve without handcuffs” said BAYAN Secretary-General Renato Reyes, Jr.
Human Rights Lawyer Maria Sol Taule also quipped “Kulang pala ng personnel ah” on a picture of more than a dozen BJMP personnel outside La Funeraria Paz. This is a jab on Manila Court after they opposed the original furlough period of three consecutive days due to the supposed “lack of personnel and facilities for Nasino’s quarantine”
Instead of the continuous three-day furlough, the court amended earlier on Wednesday morning that her visit shall only last for six hours. Three hours for Wednesday and another three hours for the baby’s burial on Friday.
“Walang puso yung nagdesisyon nun. Noong nabubuhay pa yung anak ko, pinagkait din sa akin na makasama anak ko, makalinga ko. Pati ba naman burol, pinagkait din sa akin”, Nasino said in an interview on the reduction of her original furlough.
Although given a shorter time, Nasino’s mother, Marites Asis said she is happy that Reina was able to see baby River once again. “Kayang-kaya mo ‘yan…’di pa naman tapos ang laban” she said as she held Nasino’s hand for moral support.
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