Anger towards the failure of the government and the justice system has echoed through social media over the death of the 3-month-old baby daughter of a political prisoner. Reina Mae “Ina” Asis Nasino, was an activist and a former student leader arrested at the evening of November 5, 2019 for the alleged possession of illegal firearms of which she denied and stated that those were planted by the cops. During the 9-month duration of her pregnancy, Nasino was detained and kept as a political prisoner. After the birth of her child, as per the law, she was allowed to be with her daughter for the first month.
Following the separation from her child, petitions and campaigns for Nasino had started for her to be with the newborn baby. The hospital even advised that the baby should stay with her mother but unfortunately, the court did not approve of. The following months, Nasino’s child began to fell ill due to the pandemic crisis we face to date—another failure of the administration. Nasino and her innocent child were victims of the selective justice together with the incompetence of the government.
On behalf of Nasino, National Union of People’s Lawyers filed a very urgent motion before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 47, pleading to visit the wake of her child which the court finally allowed through a 3-day furlough, but eventually cut by the court to only 6 hours due to “inadequate manpower.” The mother arrived in a full-set PPE while hands being cuffed and surrounded by military personnel. The 3-hour visit did not end without any commotion as military personnel tried to whisk her away, blocking the media for a further interview.
Reina Mae Nasino serves as an example how the Philippine justice system works. The rich and powerful are favored while the poor and marginalized are easily faced with charges and even false accusations—an ongoing immemorial phenomenon.
How can one easily charge someone while letting others who are truly guilty be free? If justice is blind, then why are the victims of the “Drug War” were mostly small-time drug users? If justice is blind, then why does corrupt officials run free from charges? If Justice is blind, then why does Nasino gets treated poorly just for her to grieve for the death of her child? Why is Nasino different from those who are charged of plunder and corruption, those who have stolen billions from the people?
This is the current state of justice on our country. Those who have the power can pay and bribe their way out the process while ordinary citizens even those who belong to the marginalized sectors faces the merciless state of justice controlled by the classists on top.
Justice may indeed be blind. Blinded by power and privilege.
Nasino and her innocent child serves as a reminder that the ruling class continues to abuse their power over those who are below them. This is a reminder to all the Filipinos that we deserve better; a system that doesn’t favor the rich but gives an equal opportunity to those of the poor and the disenfranchised. This is a reminder what the face of justice should be, not blinded by power and wealth but is blinded by the genuine truth towards equality that transcends through wealth and statuses. – Elvin Rae De Leon/The Freehand Opinion
Photo Credits: Atty. Maria Sol Taule
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