This story is part of Faces of 2020, a series of profiles about people whose stories of loss and survival embody the year 2020.

The family of jailed activist Reina Mae Nasino always knew that she would do great things. Even at a very young age, Ina, as she was fondly called, always had a heart for the community.

Marites Asis believes her middle child was not doing anything illegal when she was arrested in November 2019. Ina was just doing what she always wanted to do: to help those in need.

“Naging malupit lang ang tadhana sa amin (Fate was only cruel to us),” she told Rappler in an interview on Monday, December 7.

Marites has gone to the Supreme Court numerous times since early 2020 to plead for the release of her then pregnant daughter. When Ina gave birth to an underweight baby River on July 1, the new grandmother did everything to keep the two together.

“Kapag nanay ka, gagawin mo talaga ang lahat para sa anak mo,” Marites said. “Kung si Ina lumalaban, siyempre lalaban din ako kasi anak ko siya eh.”

(If you’re a mother you will do everything for your child. If Ina fights, of course I will fight too because she is my daughter.)

But the 3-month-old baby River, separated from her mother after a month, died on October 3 due to complications from pneumonia. (READ: As SC justices debated prisoner release, a baby was born, then died)

Failure of the government

The courts failed to protect baby River. It also deprived Ina the proper time to grieve. On the day of the burial, the Manila Police District deployed a total of 125 personnel to guard her.

Marites tried to be strong for Ina, who arrived in full personal protective equipment. She pleaded to cops to remove the handcuffs but her cries were ignored.

Standing behind her daughter a few feet away from the casket that held her grandchild, Marites confronted armed jail guards and police for disrupting what should have been a solemn burial.

“Kayo po ba may mga asawa, apo? Sigurado ako may mga pamilya kayo,” she asked them. “Simple lang ang gusto ko, ang makita ang anak ko, mailibing nang maayos ang apo ko, pero hindi nangyari.”

(Do you have spouses, grandchildren? I’m sure you have families. I only wanted to see my child and bury my grandchild properly, but that didn’t happen.)

Marites is aware that she’s going against not just police officers, but also a government that allows human rights abuses to happen under its watch. To condemn the cruelty of state agents, after all, is synonymous to calling out the powers that tolerate them, including President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

“Sinisindak nila ako, pero bakit ako magpapasindak sa kanila kung sila naman ang gumawa ng kasalanan?” Marites told Rappler.

“Akala ba nila walang pamilya si Ina? May pamilya iyan, nandito kami, humuhugot kami ng lakas sa isa’t isa para humingi ng hustisya,” she added.

(They try to frighten me, but I’m not affected because they are the ones who committed a wrongdoing. Do they think Ina has no family? She has a family, we’re here, we draw strength from each other to fight for justice.)

Rights of mothers, women

Marites now spends most of her days going on duty as a barangay tanod in Manila, a job she has held for 13 years. She said this is her small way to keep her mind off the tragedy that happened in 2020.

Fighting for the abused is not new to Marites, being the barangay point person for incidents involving violence against women and children.

“Masakit sa pakiramdam na pinaglalaban mo iyong mga biktima ng pangbubugbog, tapos bilang ina wala kang magawa para mailabas at mailigtas iyong anak at apo mo,” Marites added.

(It’s painful that you are able to fight for victims of abuse, and yet as a mother you cannot do anything to help and save your child and grandchild.)

This would be Ina’s second Christmas in jail. Marites said she has not seen her daughter since baby River’s burial, as visitation is not allowed at the Manila City Jail. For the meantime, she is content with hearing her daughter’s voice via phone calls.

For 2021, Marites only prays to God for two things: freedom for Ina and justice for baby River. It might take a lot of work for these to happen, she admitted, but giving up is not an option.

“Alam naman ni Ina na hindi ko siya papabayaan at susukuan,” Marites said. “Alam niya na nandito kami para sa kanya kahit anong mangyari.”

(Ina knows that I won’t give up on her. She knows we’re here for her whatever happens.) – Rappler.com