Human rights groups slammed Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Spokesperson Celine Pialago following her "drama serye" remarks at detained activist Reina Mae Nasino who recently buried her three-month-old daughter River. 

Kapatid, a support group for families and friends of political prisoners, said those who downgrade what happened to the political prisoner are only trying to "cover the government’s gross violation of human rights." 

"The story of Reina Mae Nasino and her 3-month-old child who died last week is not 'drama-serye.' It is a real story that exposed the countless injustices committed by the government," it said in a statement released on Sunday. 

"MMDA Chair Danny Lim, a former political prisoner himself, should have long shown the door to his spokesperson. It should be obvious by now that sensitivity cannot be taught nor proper manners and right conduct if one is empty-headed," it added.

Meanwhile, National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) President Edre Olalia was more restrained, saying they would "do the same thing if she was in Ina's position and circumstance.

"To start with, we will never ever wish this horrible tragedy and injustice to visit the Asec, her mother, her daughters, her sisters and her aunts," he said in a Facebook post.

Despite having nothing to do with traffic, Pialago felt the need to "use her voice as a Filipino" to share her two cents on Nasino's case.

"Hindi lahat ng inang nakakulong ay nakapunta sa libing ng kanyang anak. Kaya yung mga sumisimpatya kay Reina Mae Nasino, pag aralan niyo mabuti ang dahilan bakit siya nakulong at kilalanin niyong mabuti kung sino siya sa lipunan (Not all jailed mothers get to visit their children's funeral. So all of those who sympathize with Reina Mae Nasino, study well why she was imprisoned and know who she is and what her role is in society)," she said in a Facebook post on Sunday morning.

"Masyado ninyong ginagawang pang drama serye sa hapon ang paghihinagpis niya. Tigilan niyo (You are trying to make her grief like an afternoon drama serye. Stop it)!" she added.

Nasino was five months pregnant with River when she was arrested in November 2019 for allegedly being found with firearms and explosives at the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Manila Office in Tondo, Manila.

Her lawyers have insisted that the pieces of evidence were planted and that the charges filed against her are trumped-up.

She gave birth to River on July 1 at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Medical Hospital on July 1. She and her baby were returned to the Manila City Jail 48 hours later.

Before this, she filed a motion before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to allow her to breastfeed her daughter for a year at the hospital or a prison nursery. 

But Manila RTC Branch 20 Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali denied this, saying that the jail has "very limited resources" for the care of her child. 

Nasino was also among 22 elderly and medically-compromised detainees who filed a motion for their compassionate release amid the pandemic on April 8 before the Supreme Court.

But months later, the High Court ruled that the trial courts will be the ones to decide on their temporary release.

On August 13, the activist-mother was ordered to turn her child over to her relatives. 

River was admitted at the Philippine General Hospital for fever and diarrhea on September 24. She was placed in the intensive care unit on October 9 where she died a few hours later. 

A few hours before her daughter died, Nasino filed a very urgent motion for furlough so she can be with her child in her dying moments.

On October 13, Manila RTC Branch 47 Judge Paulino Gallegos granted her three full days from October 14 to 16 to be by her daughter's side during the wake and burial. 

But the next day, he cut Nasino' furlough down to only six hours from 1 to 4 p.m. on October 14 and 16 after receiving opposition from the Manila City Jail.

The Manila City Jail cited lack of personnel, health concerns, and a guideline stating that detainees can only be at their loved ones' burial and wake for a maximum of three hours.

For both the wake and the funeral, Nasino was clad in a full set of personal protective equipment, handcuffed, and flanked by numerous uniformed personnel. 

Tensions rose during the wake after her escorts tried to pull her away twice before her time was up, eventually escorting her out with 20 minutes to spare before 4 p.m.

On October 16, Marites Asis, Nasino's mother, had to kneel and beg in front of the police to allow them to hold funeral at 11:30 a.m. The cops wanted to delay it until 1 p.m.

Police also sped off with River's hearse to the Manila North Cemetery, leaving her family behind and thwarting activists' plan to conduct a caravan around the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals before burying her at the cemetery.

Nasino's counsels at NUPL earlier said that they will file charges against those involved in the activist's treatment during her daughter's wake and burial.