EDITORIAL - The Nasino case

As mentioned before, more popular events have a way of eclipsing stories that may also be otherwise worthy of public attention. This happened recently yet again. While the drama of the House speakership was unfolding, there was another drama taking place at the Manila City Jail, the courtroom, and the funeral parlor.

This was the case of activist Reina Mae Nasino.

Nasino was arrested last year over charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. But that was just the start of her troubles. She was pregnant at the time of her arrest, but did not know it. After giving birth she was told the baby, named River, needed breastfeeding because of his condition.

She asked the court to be allowed to spend time with River, but was refused. As a result, River died just three months after he was born.

The court said there weren’t enough resources and personnel to grant the request. It should have taken into consideration that a life was hanging in the balance.

The court was then persuaded to grant Nasino furlough to attend her child’s wake. What happened next is another chapter in her story.

She was handcuffed almost the entire time she was at the wake. The restraints were only taken off to allow her to eat. Then her escorts, who were never more than two feet away from her even as she was receiving comfort from family and friends, tried to prevent her from talking to the media.

After all of that, they took her back to jail way ahead of the time she was allowed, essentially cutting time she could spend with her baby and her family and friends short.

This was no way to treat a grieving mother, prisoner or not.

Nasino’s situation can’t help but lead some of us to wonder how her case would have been treated if she had been higher up in society’s standing, or if she had known the right people, had the right connections, or if she had just been plain rich and influential.

We have seen it before. Moneyed detainees get furlough to go to treatment, or even just to visit ailing relatives. For some reason, resources and jail personnel always seem to be available when the rich, powerful, or influential want to leave prison for a while.

Now Nasino’s case has the attention of the country, the politicians, and even the international media.

What happened to Nasino was a tragedy on so many levels, but let’s hope it has the effect of calling attention to what needs to be changed in our justice system, especially for the benefit of those who have less in life.