THE Maginhawa Community Pantry in Quezon City yesterday suspended its operation as the organizer of the charity service decried being red-tagged by the government and after policemen quizzed her about her political background.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas denied they ordered a probe or a check on the background of Ana Patricia Non, who started the community pantry in her area to help families who have been adversely affected by the economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NLC-ECLAC) shared several posts on social media platforms accusing leftist groups of supposedly taking advantage of the community pantries to allegedly spread propaganda against the government.
In Facebook post, Non said some policemen visited her asked for her contact number and which organization she is affiliated with. The questioning, she said, prompted her to suspend the operation of the Maginhawa Community Pantry.
Non said she told the police that she was once a member of the University of the Philippines-Student Council but said she is not linked with the communist movement.
Non said she was hurt and disappointed that she had to suspend the operation of her pantry, which she said she set up to help people who needed assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My intention is clear right from the start,” said Non as she lamented that her background was brought up just as the charity pantry idea was catching up with many concerned residents and groups all over the country.
She likewise said she was concerned with the safety of the pantry volunteers.
In an online press conference yesterday afternoon, Non said she may resume her pantry’s operation today. “Hopefully it will resume (today) once we find a team to secure our safety and the volunteers,” she said.
Commenting on the purported background investigation against community pantries, Año said: “I have not ordered the PNP to look into the community pantries around the country.
The community pantry has been a traditional practice in our country as part of the Bayanihan culture and spirit especially in times of calamities and disasters.”
Año said endeavors similar to the QC community pantry have been organized by some sectors as early as last year to help people in need. He said some of these were called food banks, soup kitchens, kapitbahay and ayuda.
“As long as the intention is good and without political color, it should be encouraged and supported. Since this is a purely voluntary and private initiative, we should not interfere except to ensure that minimum health standards are complied with,” said Año.
Año said organizers should just adhere to existing laws and local ordinances especially those that deal with the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 disease.
Sinas said the PNP did not issue any order to subordinate units to conduct any form of profiling on the organizers of community pantries.
“It is beyond the interest of the PNP to delve into purely voluntary personal activities of private citizens,” said Sinas.
“We are aware of the activities of these community pantries as an expression of Bayanihan spirit, but we have no intention to interfere but to serve the best interest of law and order and public safety in such public activities,” he also said.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said police forces and the anti-insurgency task force of government should not be involved in the community pantries unless they are there to help ensure that minimum heath protocols are followed.
Roque made the statement as he distanced Malacañang from the alleged red-tagging of some organizers of community pantries by the NTF-ELCAC.
“The President has spoken, through my office, the DILG has spoken, and unless their concern is about health protocols not being observed, they should let these community pantries alone,” Roque said referring to the police and the NTF-ELCAC.
He said President Duterte welcomed the community pantry initiative which he said showed the Filipinos’ Bayanihan spirit.
NTF-ELCAC spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade said leftist groups have taken advantage of the community pantries to spread propaganda against the government. He, however, said the task force did not red-tag the community pantries.
Parlade admitted that the task force is looking into the background of some organizers of community pantries because some of them are seeking donations from abroad. He cited as example a leftist personality have also sought financial assistance from Church-based groups in Switzerland.
“Ngayon hinahanapan siya ng report sa project niya, ‘yun wala siyang maipakita. (Now that he has been asked to submit a report about the project, he could not show one),” said Parlade, who expressed fears the funds collected went to the coffers of the communist movement.
Asked if Non is associated with the communists, Parlade said: “Ayokong magsabi sa ngayon because ‘yun nga, due diligence, we have to do our job. (I don’t want to say as of now because you know, we need to do due diligence first).”
“What we are saying is we should be very careful with this although the effort is very good,” said Parlade, adding that the AFP Southern Luzon Command is also organizing a community pantry in Lucena City where his command is located.
Parlade said some members of the Left have been distributing food to residents in some areas and that “while they’re in the community, they’re making propaganda. They are saying people are hungry because of the inefficiency of the government.” He said he would publish the names of these people or groups in the coming days.
Senators lashed at the NTF-ECLAC for accusing community pantries of having links with the communist movement on its social media posts.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he could not believe that community pantries with good intentions of helping the needy will receive such a treatment. “Government is having a difficulty in distributing help, why make it more difficult for others to help? I don’t believe this!” Sotto said.
Senate president pro tempore Ralph Recto said the only thing red in community pantries are ripe tomatoes given by the organizers. “Those who see red in these Bayanihan projects should have their hearts examined. Community pantries need more food bags, not red tags, nor red tape. Let them bloom wherever they sprout, regardless of who planted them. Bureaucracy has no business throwing shade over this pure expression of people’s power,” Recto said.
Sen. Nancy Binay said the government forces need to realize that the enemy is hunger, not those who help.
“When common people collectively band together to help those who are in need, when volunteers offer a selfless act of serving the people, and when ordinary Filipinos put up community pantries as a pure form of generosity – I don’t see them as enemies of the state, but as champions who have genuine compassion for our people,” Binay said.
At the House, opposition lawmakers slammed the alleged profiling of community pantries, saying people are being accused of being communist rebels for helping each other.
“The Duterte administration must stop crucifying the good Samaritans,” said Rep. Edcel Lagman (LP, Albay), an opposition leader. “Instead of encouraging the healthy mushrooming nationwide of community pantries, police elements are harassing as enemies of the State the organizers and sponsors of these free food-for-the-poor outlets.”
Lagman said the Duterte administration “must not compound its culpable inadequacy of rescuing the poor from the abyss of the pandemic by red-tagging and profiling the good Samaritans who have put up community pantries to help the poorest of the poor.”
“The government must not conceal its shame for failing the disadvantaged and marginalized sectors by enforcing repressive measures against those who are voluntarily helping neglected Filipinos,” he said.
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, said it has been a national policy of the Duterte administration to “threaten, harass and even arrest those who dare point out the lapses, failures and shortcomings of this administration.
“Whenever there are efforts by private persons and organizations to help those in need, the Duterte administration is so quick to label them as terrorists and tag them as criminals,” she said, adding that the government refuses to accept that community pantries “came to life due to the government’s militarist solution and lack of aid for the most affected families.”
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay lambasted the government for red tagging the community pantries in different parts of Metro Manila.
“Is the government afraid of free vegetables?” Binay said in a statement sent via Viber.
He said that “if the people have been getting sufficient assistance from the government, there will be no community pantries. And if the government would not be able to provide it to poor families, let the community pantries operate freely.” — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Raymond Africa, Wendell Vigilia and Noel Talacay
