Palace mum on River’s burial

Malacañang distanced itself from the uptight police presence during the burial of River Nasino, saying it respects the arrangement made by authorities to provide security for the baby’s political detainee-mom, Reina Mae.

This came after the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) drew flak over the baby’s heavily-guarded funeral, with groups calling it a “security overkill.”

“You know, the President does not micromanage. And in matters of securing an accused facing a non-bailable offense, the President can never substitute judgment from that of the commander on the ground,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing yesterday.

“We respect whatever decision of the commander may have been on the ground. If he felt that such a security arrangement was necessary, so be it,” he added.

Likewise, Roque said Celine Pialago, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority spokesperson, is entitled to her personal opinion, after she drew flak for likening the plight of the jailed activist to a “drama serye.”

“Let us allow spokesperson Pialago to have her personal opinion,” Roque said in the same briefing.

Pialago on Sunday criticized the sympathizers of Nasino.

Following the public backlash, she apologized yesterday for likening Nasino’s plight to a “drama serye,” but not for saying that the activist deserved to be surrounded by dozens of armed guards during her daughter’s burial.

Nasino, 23, and two other activists were arrested at the Tondo, Manila office of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in November 2019 and were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. At the time of her arrest, she learned that she was one-month pregnant.