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Arrested activist and advocate for the urban poor Queen Mae Nasino at the burial of her 3-month-old daughter, River, at Manila North Cemetery in Manila on October 16, 2020 (Image: INQUIRER / Richard A. Reyes)
Local celebrities denounced the government’s handling of Baby River’s burial, which was heavily guarded by prison guards and law enforcement officers as his family mourned his death.
The 3-month-old baby was buried at 3pm yesterday, October 16, in the Manila North Cemetery, a week after his death due to complications from gastroenteritis at the Philippine General Hospital.
“Was it really too much to ask to have compassion for a grieving mother?” Anne Curtis posted on Twitter yesterday, sharing a series of photos from a news outlet showing Baby River’s mother, political detainee Queen Mae Nasino, looking at her daughter’s body while closely surrounded by police.
Actress Anne Curtis-Smith denounces the treatment of the political detainee Queen Mae Nasino during the funeral of her …
Posted by INQUIRER.net on Friday, October 16, 2020
Television host Bianca González echoed Curtis’ sentiments and retweeted the post. In another tweet, González noted that “Baby River deserved better.”
Baby River deserved better 💔
– Bianca González (@iamsuperbianca) October 16, 2020
Actress Agot Isidro, a staunch critic of the Duterte government, also condemned the heavily guarded burial and criticized uniformed personnel for lacking “compassion.”
“It just came to our notice then. No care. May araw din kayo (You can only act tough. You have no compassion. Your day will come),” Isidro said in a Twitter post of a photo showing the prison guards and police surrounding Nasino inside the Manila North Cemetery.
Pure courage.
Careless.You will have your day. 😡 https://t.co/QooYTdtRHN
– Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) October 16, 2020
The actor and poet Juan Miguel Severo also took to Twitter to denounce the entire ordeal, calling for #JusticeForBabyRiver and for Nasino’s freedom.
#JusticeForBebéRiver#FreeReinaMaeNasino#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners#OustDuterteNow pic.twitter.com/059vNQXE6z
– Juan Miguel Severo 🏳️🌈 (@TheRainBro) October 16, 2020
Severo also hit Brig. General Rolando Miranda, director of the Manila Police District (MPD), for stating that the activists were the ones who started the commotion during the baby’s funeral.
“Dozens of people with banners there is no commotion. But armed men in uniform, police cars and a HEART OF SPEED with the corpse of a baby? Iyon (that’s [a commotion]), ”Severo tweeted Yesterday.
“Reina is involved in the fight, that’s why the teammates deserve to cry. “Reina is an activist, so it stands to reason that her fellow activists cry with her. Blaming them won’t cut your horns, hell,” he added.
Veteran singer Leah Navarro also criticized the Philippine National Police (PNP) and President Duterte for handling Baby River’s funeral via Twitter yesterday.
“The PNP has been transferred. It no longer serves or protects our people. They reflect the innate hatred of their commander-in-chief. The agency is a disgrace, ”he said.
The PNP has been transferred. It no longer serves or protects our people. They reflect the innate hatred of their commander-in-chief. The agency is a disgrace.
– Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) October 16, 2020
Jasmine Curtis, meanwhile, retweeted a side-by-side photo of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Baby River’s funerals, emphasizing: “I don’t understand this. [sad emoji]. “
I don’t understand this ☹ https://t.co/raFaK8tW6C
– Jasmine (@jascurtissmith) October 16, 2020
Baby River’s funeral earlier this week also made headlines after he was “kidnapped” by MPD personnel, according to rights group Kapatid. As at the burial, Nasino attended her son’s funeral handcuffed and well guarded by officers.
Baby River died without being reunited with Nasino, who separated from her on August 13. She gave birth to her daughter in July.
Nasino was arrested with her two colleagues on November 5, 2019, when MPD policemen raided the Bayan-Manila office. The activist has claimed that “evidence” of the charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against him was placed by the police. /outside
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Nasino visits Baby River’s wake wrapped in a PPE suit, handcuffed
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