Netizens call out cops for ‘profiling’ community pantry organizers

People visit the Maginhawa Community Pantry initiated by Ana Patricia Non on Thursday, April 15, 2021, at Teacher’s Village, Quezon City. Non says she set up the community pantry to help people who are badly affected by the pandemic and having difficulty finding food to serve on their tables. The pantry accepts donations from kindhearted individuals like canned goods, vegetables, vitamins, and face masks, among others, which are essential for sustenance and in this time of health crisis. The pantry is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. -INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Many netizens have called out police officers allegedly profiling organizers of the community pantry projects in the city of Manila.

Now-viral photos on social media suggest that policemen showed up at some community pantries in the nation’s capital city and supposedly subjected some organizers to many questions, including who is in charge of the initiative and whether they are affiliated with certain organizations.

The policemen also purportedly handed out forms that the organizers need to fill out with their personal details.

But the pantry organizer who posted the photos on social media has deleted them and also deactivated his profile as of this posting. Nevertheless, netizens who expressed their dismay with the police have reposted screenshots of the original post, including the photo of the form that allegedly came from the Manila Police District (MPD).

MPD Director Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, however, clarified there was no order from him to profile the community pantry organizers — rather, it was just to maintain peace and order in the area.

“No wala naman gano’n akong utos,” Francisco told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

“Talagang in this time need na ma-maintain ‘yung gain sa two weeks na ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” he added.

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As of Monday, the country’s active COVID-19 cases reached 141,375 as the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 9,628 new infections.

Community pantries sprouted in various neighborhoods nationwide as families struggle to put food on the table amid continued restrictions on people’s movements due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The country is said to have the longest pandemic lockdown in the world.

READ: ‘Giving and taking in time of crisis:’ Community pantries sprout in NCR

The first community pantry was set up along Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village in Quezon City last week and has since been quickly replicated to as far as Marawi in Mindanao.