The death of a three-month-old baby separated from her jailed mother despite pleas to keep them together has shocked many, according to BBC.
The convict, Reina Mae Nasino, a human rights worker, was not aware she was pregnant when she was arrested last year. She thought her missed periods had been caused by the stress of a night-time police raid in which she was arrested together with two other activists.
It was until during a medical examination in prison that the 23-year-old found out that she was in her first trimester, BBC reported.
The death of her newborn last week, just two months after the baby was removed from her care – has raised queries about the treatment of women in custody as many Philippines voiced their anger at the justice system for failing the newborn.
Nasino was arrested in November 2019 together with other activists after raided their office.
The three were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives which they denied. According to them, the ammunition was planted by the authorities.
Her lawyer said despite the circumstance, Nasino was “was quite excited to be a mother” and was prepared for the challenge of giving birth in custody and aware the legal proceedings were likely to be lengthy.
Her child was born on 1 July. Her birth weight was low but after a few days, she and her mother were taken back to Manila City jail where they stayed in a makeshift room reserved for them.
The Philippino law states that a child born in custody can remain with the mother for only the first months of their life but exceptions can be made. By comparison, in Malaysia children born in custody are allowed to stay with their mother until they attain the age of three or four while in the UK, the mother and baby unit allow women to stay with their children till they reach 18 months.
Campaigners persisted in forcing the authorities to release Nasinao and her baby.
At the same time, Nasino’s mother also delivered photos and letters to authorities nearly every week, pleading for her daughter’s release.
Nasino’s lawyer said the hospital where Nasino delivered recommended the baby to be kept with the mother.
“But the prison authorities said they lacked the resources. They came up with a lot of excuses, violating the child’s right to her mother’s breast milk,” she said as reported by BBC.
Under the “Bangkok Rules” – UN guidelines for the treatment of female inmates – the decision on when a newborn is separated from its mother should be based on the best interest of the child.
The BBC has approached the Philippine prison authorities for comment but has not yet received a response.
The separation
The newborn was separated from her mother in August. At the time her mother was “inconsolable”, said Ms. Deinla. “She didn’t want to give up her baby. She was actually pleading that the baby is allowed to stay longer.”
Calls to reunite the mother and child grew more urgent as the baby was hospitalized on 24 September and her condition worsened. But the mother was still not permitted to see her baby.
Baby River died from pneumonia, just three months after she was born. The death of the child has shocked many in the country, where tributes and sympathies have flowed on social media.
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Many have also expressed their displeasure with the justice system with some highlighting the difference in how the young activist was treated compared to the high profile and wealth prisoners who were granted temporary release to attend events such as their children’s weddings and graduations.
On Tuesday, a local court granted Nasino a three-day furlough to attend the wake and funeral of her child.
But that didn’t last long before the prison officials intervened to reduce the length of her release and she was only allowed to leave the jail for three hours on Wednesday and Friday – the day her baby would be buried.
