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 kind-hearted individuals like canned goods, vegetables, vitamins, and face masks, among others, which are essential for sustenance especially during this time of health crisis. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has reached out to the city’s police force to verify the alleged police profiling of the organizer of Maginhawa community pantry.
Belmonte disclosed this on Tuesday after Ana Patricia Non, the organizer of the Maginhawa community pantry, asked for help, saying that three members of the police force have asked for her number and her organization.
The operations of the Maginhawa community pantry have also been temporarily halted over red-tagging.
“Kaninang umaga, nakatanggap po ako ng isang mensahe, I think ito ay forwarded Facebook message sa akin kung saan ay humihiling ng tulong si Patricia… I’ve messaged her already but I have not yet received a reply,” Belmonte said in an interview with Teleradyo.
(This morning, I received a message. I think this was a forwarded Facebook message where Patricia is asking for help… I’ve messaged her already but I have not yet received a reply.)
“I’ve also been in touch with our QCPD [Quezon City Police District] to find out if this is true and to give me a report on the matter,” the mayor added.
Belmonte said she has yet to receive a response from the QCPD.
This was not the first time where members of the police force allegedly profiled organizers of community pantries, which were established to help provide food assistance to those affected by the lockdowns.
Many netizens have called out police officers allegedly profiling organizers of the community pantry projects in the city of Manila.
The photos that went viral 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.
Manila Police District (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.