MANILA – Police officers deployed to keep a tight watch over the burial of Baby River, the daughter of detainee Reina Mae Nasino, were just doing their jobs, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said on Wednesday.
Cascolan made the statement following criticisms on how the burial was tightly guarded.
“Well, situations are different from each other. Alam niyo po ang pulis natin magreresponde lang naman ‘yan depende sa sitwasyon,” Cascolan said.
Some claimed that the police officers deployed in the wake prevented people from entering La Funeraria Rey in Pandacan, Manila before the infant’s burial.
Baby River died of respiratory illness early this month.
Nasino, along with two others, was arrested in 2019 and charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, a non-bailable offense.
Manila Police District spokesperson Lt. Col. Carlo Magno Manuel claimed that supporters of Nasino were planning to conduct a rally alongside the burial that, according to him, was supposed to be solemn.
Manuel said the deployment of policemen was also to ensure that minimum health standards would be observed.