Hontiveros on Baby River: Only heartless can snatch newborn from mother

Only the heartless can snatch a newborn baby away from her mother.

That was Senator Risa Hontiveros’ lament as she decried the mistreatment of political detainee Reina Mae Nasino, whose three-month-old Baby River died after she was separated from her mother.

The baby’s funeral was set on Friday with Nasino allowed only a three-hour furlough from her detention cell at Manila City Jail to visit her child.

“Hinayaan lang ng gobyerno na mamatay si Baby River,” Hontiveros said.

“Hanggang sa burol niya, pinagkaitan ang kanyang ina. Pati ang mga huling sandali na makasama man lang ang labi niya, hindi pa maibigay. Bakit pa kailangan ng 40 guwardiya para bantayan ang isang nagluluksang ina na nakaposas at ang kanyang baby na patay na?” she said.

“Kung laging kalupitan ang sagot natin sa hinanakit ng taumbayan sa gitna ng pinakamalalang krisis, ang pagdurusa ni Reina Mae ay siya ring magiging pagdurusa ng buong bayan,” Hontiveros added.

“The real indicator of who we are as a nation is if we can still offer even our worst critics compassion,” she said.

“Ibigay natin ang huling pagpapaalam sa mag-ina nang maayos,” Hontiveros said.

“Sa ating mga officials, leaders, decision-makers: Maging built-in sana ang empathy at compassion sa gitna ng economic at health emergency na dulot ng Covid-19. No matter our political differences, our decisions should always be made in kindness,” she said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)