Palace: Police may only interfere in community pantries to enforce health protocols
WHERE IT ALL STARTED The humble community pantry along Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village in Quezon City. (Photo: Ana Patricia Non)
MANILA, Philippines — Police may only interfere in community pantries to enforce minimum public health standards amid the pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday, echoing the statement of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said they respect the “bayanihan” spirit of community pantries but the government should make sure health protocols are being followed in these neighborhood food and essentials stations.
In a statement on Tuesday, Año said he has not ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to look into community pantries sprouting over Metro Manila and other provinces after reports of police officers allegedly profiling organizers of the initiative.
Año said police should not interfere “except to ensure that minimum health standards are complied with.”
READ: Netizens call out cops for ‘profiling’ community pantry organizers
“Sinusugan din ni DILG Sec. Año na nagsalita ngayon lamang na wala siyang kautusan sa kapulisan na manghimasok sa operasyon ng community pantries,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.
“So kami ay ginagalang natin ang bayanihan sa ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng ating community pantries. Ang ating interes lamang ay mapatupad ang minimum health standards diyan sa mga community pantries na ‘yan,” he added.
Roque said the emergence of community pantries in the country “exemplify the best of Filipino character in times of challenges” and this has been praised by the President.
He earlier said this initiative is not indicative of people’s condemnation of the government’s dismal response to the pandemic.
For his part, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas denied issuing orders for the police to profile organizers of community pantries.
Sinas said it was “beyond the interest of the PNP to delve into purely voluntary personal activities of private citizens.”
