AFTER a denial from the police that it was profiling community pantry movers particularly in Metro Manila, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ECLAC) yesterday admitted at least four of the 40 community pantries currently operating in the country are being monitored for links with the communist movement.
NTF-ELCAC spokesman and concurrent AFP Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade declined to say the location of these pantries and the people involved.
“I think of the 40 na community pantries na naglitawan, maybe dalawa or tatlo or apat lang ang dapat na bantayan, the rest let it be (I think of the 40 community pantries out there, maybe only two, three or four are under watch. The rest let it be),” said Parlade in a television interview on Tuesday night.
Parlade refused to identify the location of the four pantries even when repeatedly pressed by members of the media.
“Yan ang gusto niyong mangyari. Again, ‘yan ang gusto niyong mangyari na magkamali ang AFP, NTF-ELCAC na mag-banggit ng pangalan, then bibirahin niyo bad intelligence (That is what you want to happen. Again, that is what you want to happen, for the AFP, NTF-ELCAC to make a mistake, name names then criticize them for bad intelligence),” he said.
Ana Patricia Non, the organizer of a community pantry in Maginhawa, Quezon City closed her pantry on Tuesday due to red-tagging and after policemen asked for her cellphone number and her group affiliation. She reopened yesterday following a barrage of public support and criticisms against the government.
The PNP and Department of Interior and Local Government have denied issuing orders to profile community pantries.
Parlade said netizens have called out his attention that some charity stalls opened by leftist personalities have “Oust Duterte” and “I love the CPP-NPA” stickers in their products.
Parlade said he was concerned that the operation of community pantries could lead to violence
“That’s why we are careful. That’s why we want to know who are running these because if the CPP hijacks this good program, then we have a problem,” he said, adding: “And we do not want this problem to deteriorate further. It will be hard if we will act only when the problem is already big.”
Told that Non stopped the operation of her pantry on Tuesday due to fear amid the red-tagging, Parlade asked: “Why did she stop if she has nothing to fear about? What’s wrong with that (questioning)? Why are you afraid if you are not doing anything bad? If you have no bad intention, you do not have to be scared.”
He added: “I have nothing against her (Non) but we want to know why her pantry was immediately replicated in various provinces in the country.”
Parlade dismissed insinuations the NTF-ELCAC’s monitoring of these community pantries has sent a chilling effect or has discouraged people who are planning to put up their own pantries.
Taking a swipe at Non who was in tears during an online press briefing to explain her cause, Parlade said: “Wag tayong maniwala dun sa tao, paiyak-iyak ‘yung tao, may drama pa, may, kung ano ano. (Let us not believe the person, her crying, resorting to drame and others),” he said.
“I’m not saying it was intentional but from the little knowledge that I know of Ana, she can do that because she is a member of this, so that’s the only thing I can say to you,” he added.
During the Laging Handa press briefing, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Olay admitted policemen went to seen Non a few days ago but said there was no harm intended.
Olay said the policemen went there to check compliance to minimum public health standards like the wearing of face mask and face shield and observance of physical distancing, and to make sure that the line of people availing of the services of the pantry was in order.
On the policemen getting the background of Non and her cellphone number, Olay said Quezon City Police District chief Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra said his men took these so she can be invited for similar activities in the future.
“The district director said they got the details so that in future activities of the police, we can invite them to join, we have an organization, we know partners on things like this,” said Olay.
Olay stressed PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas did not order the profiling or red-tagging of those involved in the community pantries, but has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the PNP Cybercrime Group to look into reports of red-tagging and profiling of the pantry organizers by the policemen.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the government is simply “observing” how the community pantries work for possible replication and so the government can be on standby in case the organizers need assistance.
“We are not investigating. We are just looking into it but investigation is already something else that we would call people, and get statements, that is different. So, we can observe it,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Esperon, during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, added that “observing” or “looking” is different from profiling.
Esperon recalled that last year, some anti-government groups had taken advantage of the pandemic and announced in an area in Quezon City that relief goods would be distributed when it turned out that there was no such schedule. He said the “advertisement” was aimed at discrediting the government.
He said if the group is “advertising” their advocacy to help, that is good but if they are doing it by saying that the government is “inutile” and unable to address the needs of the people “that is not right.” — With Jocelyn Montemayor
